Author Archives: koppg

Mac Recommendations for 2019

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Often times people ask me which Mac would I recommend for them to purchase.  Everyone has different needs and wants so it is hard to create a written post that defines which machine would be the best to purchase.  Apple is changing machine configurations a few times a year so anything I would write here would likely be superseded within a few months anyway.  So what can I put in writing that would be universal to anyone looking for a new Mac?

In the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to setup a few new machines for people.  I have setup a new MacBook Air and a couple of iMacs.  From these experiences, here is the recommendation I will be sticking with for 2019.

Never ever purchase a Mac with a Spinning Drive Again

In 2019, I vow to make this single recommendation to anyone that asks me “Which Mac should I Purchase?”.  By a Mac with a Solid State Disk Drive (SSD)!  

Some of you might ask why this is so important. Why is an SSD so much better?  There are no moving parts to an SSD. Rather, information is stored in microchips. Conversely, a hard disk drive uses a mechanical arm with a read/write head to move around and read information from the right location on a storage platter. This difference is what makes SSD so much faster.

In recent years, beginning with Apple’s Sierra operation system (10.12), Apple has been optimizing there operating system for faster solid state drives.  In fact, in this years release of Mojave (10.14), Macs with spinning disks are terribly slow.  Very noticeably slower than a machine with a SSD.  If you check the activity monitor you can see that the disk is continuously thrashing as it reads and writes and a spinning disk just can’t keep up.

Many of you may be under the mistaken impression that all Macs have Solid State Drives.  That’s not exactly the case.  If you are in the market for a laptop, you are pretty much golden.  All the MacBooks, MacBook Air’s, and MacBook Pros that are current model machines are now outfitted with a solid state disk.  I can definitely argue that some of these machines are better choices than others depending on a persons individual needs but all of these pass George’s Disk Test.  They have SSD’s installed by default.

If you are looking for a desktop, the MacPro, and now the new Mac mini are all outfitted with the solid state disk too.  But many people are looking for an iMac and that’s where thing become a problem.  iMacs are still sold with spinning disks in the default configuration.  In fact, the lower cost iMacs not only ship with a spinning disk, they ship with a 5400 rpm disk.  We could talk about what the difference in rpm speed is but suffice it to say, these disks were shipping in Macs 15 years ago.  That is how old 5400 rpm drives are.  These disks are way past prime and brand new 3 ghz iMacs equipped with these disks are miserable to use, difficult to update, and overall a poor Mac experience.  There is nothing worse than dropping over a grand on a new Mac only to find it is no faster than your 8 year old machine.

In some configurations, Apple ships a Fusion drive in new iMacs.  A Fusion Drive is two separate drives ‘fused’ together. It contains a Serial ATA drive (that’s a regular hard drive with a spinning plate inside) and a solid-state drive.

MacOS places the more frequently accessed files on the flash storage part of the drive so that they are always quick to obtain, while less frequently used data is stored on the hard drive.

The benefit of this solution is that you get the best of both worlds. Faster operation thanks to the fact that the data you use most regularly is accessed quickly from the Flash part of the Fusion Drive, and a lots of storage space for keeping all your files, photos, movies and more backed up.  While this is much better than a standard spinning drive only configuration, it is still not as fast as a solid state drive for all your storage.  If this is all you can afford, it is acceptable but a better solution might be to get the SSD only in the Mac and add a low cost external drive to expand your storage.

So if you are purchasing a new iMac, stay away from spinning drive machines,  Spend performance you want in a new computer by selecting a machine with a SSD built in.  You will be much happier with your new machine.

So what will I tell people who tell me the SSD machines are just too expensive?  If you can’t swing the extra cost for a machine that performs the way a Mac should…. perhaps you need to be looking at a new PC instead of a Mac.  They are certainly less expensive.



Whats New in MacOS 10.14 – Mojave

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Like each update to MacOS, there are hundreds of new features.  Here is a list of the ones I find particularly useful.

Dark Mode

One of the major changes in Mac OS Mojave is the addition of the dark mode. Personally, I find a dark mode to be beautifully stunning. It lets the colors within applications pop and provides a completely new experience in using your Mac. You can turn this on in the system preferences general panel. 

Photos from iPhone

Blink and you might miss it, but Mail hasn’t only gained a button that lets you place emojis in your message, but it gets another that lets you place an image. Click this, and you can choose to use an existing image or directly scan/capture a new one from your iPhone.  This feature is also available from the desktop by Control-clicking on the desktop and selecting Import from iPhone.  For this to work, you iPhone needs to be unlocked and on the same wifi network as your Mac.

Favicons

A favicon is small icon associated with a particular website, usually displayed before the URL in a web browser. Until this release, Safari did not provide support for these cute icons but with this release you can turn favicons. Within safari, go to preferences, tabs, and turned on Show website icons in tabs.

Dynamic Desktop

In system and preferences, desktop and screensavers, a new screen view exists for the desktop. It’s called dynamic desktops and Apple provides one related to the safari motif. The desktop picture on your screen changes over today as the sun would change in the Mojave Desert. A very nice look.

 

Stacks are a great addition to MacOS.  This lets you store files of the same kind such as PDF, JPG, etc in a single icon on the desktop rather than cluttering your desktop with many files.  To turn it on, Control-click on the desktop and select Use Stacks.  In the same location you can set what type of stacks it creates.  I find the Kind method to be the best for me.

Recent apps in the Dock

You’ll like this iPad feature. Icons for the three most recently used apps that you don’t already keep in your Dock will be made visible between the Settings and Downloads icons. This is enabled in System Preferences>Dock using the Show recent applications checkbox.

Automatically keep your Mac updated

Apple has moved Software Updates to its own dedicated pane in System Preferences. Open it, and you can ask your Mac to automatically check for and install software updates. You can also require it to automatically install app updates and security updates for you.

Tighter permissions

Apple has taken a step toward convincing Mac users not to cover their iSight cameras with tape when not in use by introducing new Security System Preferences that will tell you when apps request access to your Camera or microphone. Another security enhancement (available in Notifications) lets you decide if you want to always show notification previews for an app or if you want these to be made visible only when your Mac is unlocked. That’s useful if you work in a public place.

New Screenshot Tool

You have always been able to use Command-Shift-3 to capture the full screen or Command-Shift-4 to capture a section of the screen.  In MacOS Mojave you can now use Command-Shift-5 to bring up a new screen shot tool.  With it you can capture the entire screen, a portion of the screen, or a selected window.  But this tool gives you the ability to capture a video of the screen or a portion of the screen.  There are options to select where to save the file and to set a timer delay for the capture to happen.  

New Mac App Store

Apple first debuted the Mac App Store in 2011 but has given it very little love since then. With macOS Mojave, it is giving the App Store a complete redesign similar to the one it debuted with iOS 11 last year. Apart from the new design, there’s a new Discover tab which would be updated on a weekly basis by editors over at Apple to help you discover new apps.

Gallery View in Finder

The Finder gets a new Gallery View in macOS Mojave which makes it easier to skim through your photos and videos. It also has metadata support which is displayed in the Preview pane so you can quickly see important details of a photo.

With this release, apple has begun the process of making iOS applications work on the Mac.  Apple debutes 4 iOS apps in MacOS Mojave.

Apple News App

macOS finally gets a dedicated Apple News app with a new design. There’s also a sidebar in the app for easy and quick navigation.

Home App

There’s a new Home app in macOS as well that will allow macOS Mojave users to control their HomeKit-enabled accessories easily.

Voice Memo

Another iOS app that is going to be available in macOS Mojave is Voice Memo. Using the app, one can quickly and easily record personal notes, meetings, and more. Voice Memos are also synced across all your devices using iCloud.

Stocks

Finally, the Stocks app is also going coming to macOS Mojave with a brand new interface, personalized watchlist, and interactive charts.  This app is basically the same as the iPad version of the Stocks application.

 

 

Here is a feature you can put in the Not quite there yet file….

Group FaceTime

Apple is debuting Group FaceTime with iOS 12 and the feature is also a part of macOS Mojave. With Group FaceTime, you can make a group video call comprising of up to 32 people. Even better, you can use Animoji, Memoji, stickers, and more while on a FaceTime call now.

This will be added soon in a MacOS update, likely at the same time it gets added too iOS.

I am sure there are quite a few more interesting things in Mojave but those are a few I find most useful.

iPhone X: Return to the first home screen

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Many of us have been using iPhones for a long time. We all know if you’re on a home screen that is not the first page you can simply double tap the home button to return to the first page of your home screens. Unfortunately, without a home button, the iPhone X doesn’t work that way.

I I have always wondered if Apple provided a shortcut on the iPhone X to do that and so I looked it up. It’s amazing I haven’t run across this simple trick before.

On the iPhone X To move from any application back to the home screen all you have to do is quickly swipe up from the bottom of the screen. But if you’re already on one of your home screens, and you again swipe up from the bottom of the screen quickly, it takes you right back to that first page of your home screen just like double tapping the button did in the past.

I probably should’ve looked at trick up sooner.

Look folks, it’s just a scam!

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I have heard from a number of people this week that they have gotten calls, mostly on landline phone numbers, from someone reporting to be Apple  telling them that their computer was infected and their accounts with Apple were being discontinued. We’ve seen this happen before and like times before this is just a scam.

The interesting thing this time is those people with caller ID say, this time the Number calling is a local area code. Scammers these days are making it harder and harder to screen your calls.

Let me make a pretty bold statement. Apple, Microsoft, and Google will not call you on your phone to tell you you have a computer problem. They just don’t do that! Anytime you get a call to tell you there’s something wrong with your computer it is someone trying to scam money from you. You can count on this. Ignore those phone calls, Hang up the phone, or cuss the collar out if that makes you feel better but do not allow anyone to connect to your computer remotely unless you know who you’re talking to.

Likewise, if a screen pops up on your computer while your web browsing and tells you your machine is infected and you need to call a phone number, it is a scam. Again, someone is trying to get you to call them and allow them to infect your computer. Sometimes these pop-up screens are hard to get rid of, and often times require you to force quit your browser, but they are not real.

Even secure devices like iPads, iPhones, or chromebooks, are susceptible to this same type scam. These people are using a webpage pop up, many times coming from an ad on that webpage, to make you believe there’s a problem when there really isn’t.

All of these efforts, are called social engineering. Computers have become so secure that it’s very difficult for a nefarious person to get access to your computer on their own. It is much easier to do something that convinces you to infect your self. That’s what they’re trying to do. Don’t let them be successful.

If you are troubleshooting a problem, and you call Apple  or Dell for assistance, sometimes they will ask to connect your computer to look at what’s going on. The big difference here is you initiated the call to Them. It was at your choice and not as a result of some pop up message on your screen or a phone call coming into your home. In this case, it’s likely all right to allow them to connect but if you’re not sure you are much better off consulting with someone who can assist you locally rather than taking the risk.

And so it goes…

Which iPad is for me?

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In the past couple weeks I’ve probably had four or five different folks asked me which iPad they should get. Apple provides a number of choices in iPads but a major part of the decision is based upon the size of the screen. The first thing I usually tell people to consider is the screen size. 

Originally, the iPad was a 9.7 inch device.  Apple has continued that size in its major consumer market device the six generation iPad. For most people that size is perfect. It’s larger than a phone but not so large that it’s hard to carry around with you.  But if 9.7 is not for you, Apple has other choices. 

The iPad mini with a 7.9 inch display is still available. I often caution people but the iPad mini has not been updated in quite a while so it’s performance is not the best. It also only comes in a 128 GB configuration. There are plenty of uses for devices that size, particularly in Home control. This iPad can be popular with women who want to be able to carry their iPad in their purse. 

If you’re interested in a larger screen size, you need to look to the iPad Pro models. iPad pros are available in 10.5 inch displays and in 12.9 inch displays. One interesting thing is that the 10.5 inch model is really not much larger than the 9.7 inch six generation. So size for carrying really doesn’t make much difference there. The largest iPad Pro is a mammoth. The display is it as large as many computer displays so an iPad of that size is sometimes a little hard to carry around.

Once you get an idea of what size screen you’re interested in the next thing to look at is the features of the device. Memory is one of the major things that differentiates cost in many of the iPads. A minimal amount of memory is 32 GB and that’s what Apple provides and it’s entry-level devices. The next step these days tends to be 128 GB and typically adds about $100 to the cost.  You can’t even get 256 GB in an iPad Pro if you have the need. For most people, 32 GB is plenty.  If you are a content creator or take a lot of pictures with your iPad, you probably should consider a larger size. But basically when looking at Apple’s lineup, the entry-level devices in each model typically provide a enough memory for the average user.

In addition to screen size differences, the iPad Pro models also provide extra functionality. They have the ability to add apples keyboard, which by the way doesn’t require batteries or Bluetooth pairing.  Until recently, the ability use an Apple Pencil with the iPad was one of the features the pro had that you could not get in a standard iPad. But Apple recently introduced it six generation that has Apple Pencil support so that’s really not a consideration any longer.

The iPad Pro models also have better displays. The displays are not just higher resolution. They also definitely have better color tone and less reflectivity. An iPad Pro Is significantly more expensive than the six generation iPad. While there are people who need this additional functionality and can make great use the device,  the average user is probably not in that category.

There also performance differences between the iPad Pro and six generation model but in my opinion these are pretty minor. Functionality within the operating system is just about the same between the two devices. Both of these devices are very fast. Unless you’re looking for the absolute top-of-the-line performance, I don’t think that performance differences make much of a difference in your choice.

For more information about the differences between these iPads, check out Apple‘s website to see a feature by feature comparison.

I typically use a 10.5” iPad Pro. With the advent of the six generation iPad the differentiation between the iPad Pro in the iPad is much less, at least for now. That being said, my recommendation is that most people seriously consider an entry-level six generation iPad for $329. 

The new six generation iPad is a great blend between performance, size, and functionality. Fortunately for all of us, because Apple is trying to get this device used in the education market, Apple has priced it at a reasonable cost.

But Apple never stops.  You can count on Apple revising the iPad Pro soon to better differentiate it from the sixth generation model.

If you’re really not sure about the differences between the devices, head out to a Best Buy where you can see them both side-by-side. But now that you know a little bit more about the differences, don’t let the Best Buy salesman upsell you to an iPad Pro if you really don’t need it.

Adapters for the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port on your Mac

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If the cable from your external display, hard drive, camera, or other device doesn’t connect to the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port on your iMac Pro, iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook, you might need an adapter.

Apple has a tech support article describing many of the connected types you may want to use.  While this article is not completely comprehensive everything available, it’s a great place to start.

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Finding Topics for your Website

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Over the years, I have setup a number of websites. Once I setup a site for someone the first question I usually get is “I don’t know what to write about”. There is a site that looks like it would be useful. Check out Answer the Public.

This site aggregates bing and google search history to tell someone what people are asking about a particular topic. For instance, look at a search for ‘Apple Pages’.

These are the “long tail” questions people are asking in Bing and Google about Apple Pages.  This gives a site creator an idea of what people are looking for so they can taylor their site to give them what they want.  The more of these questions you cover in your site, the better chance you will get the hits.

This can be very helpful in giving someone ideas for what to write about and post on your website.

 

Local Apple user group hosts Q&A at May Meeting

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Mark your Calendars!  appleJAC users group in Jefferson City is hosting a Question and Answer meeting at 7pm on May 1st at Immaculate Conception Church, Kennedy Hall.  This is a golden opportunity to get your nagging questions answered on Macintosh, iPhone, iPad, or anything Apple related.  This group, that meets monthly, has a wealth of knowledge relating to all things Apple.  It it was made by Apple, or connects to an apple device, we will do our best to answer you question.

Feel free to bring you computer, phone or tablet along and get those questions you have answered.  Since many people will have questions, you will likely learn about many things you were afraid to ask about. You can ask questions from the floor or write them down and submit them.  There are no dumb questions!

You don’t have to be a member to attend so mark May 1 on your callender and plan to learn more about your Mac, iPhone to iPad..

For more information on appleJAC or the upcoming meeting, check out their website.

Cleaning your iPhone cases and Covers

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For a long time I have been looking for something that would lead those rubberized covers and cases we use on our iPads and iPhones.  Over the years I’ve tried many things from different types soaps to even running them through the dishwasher.  Believe me, the dishwasher idea was not a good one. Unfortunately, most of the soaps I tries, while able to remove dirt, did a very poor job in also removing the oils from fingerprints.

Recently, I’ve run upon something that does a terrific job. The item called a Mr. Clean Magic eraser.  It is a foam sponge that is infused with some light bleach.  These items are great for removing scuffs off walls and stuck on dirt on a auto interior, but I had never considered them for cleaning the rubber coated iPad covers.  I gave it a try and found it to do a terrific job.  I simply moistened the sponge and vigorously rubbed the cover.  Then I dried it thoroughly.  I dont recommend this for the glass but it definitely Dows a great job on the covers.

The next time you need to clean one of those covers, give it a try.