by Dave Greenbaum

The Mac OS X Lion Project Book, despite its title, isn’t as much a book about Lion as it is a book about how to use a Mac with Lion to do certain neat projects. Most Mac users can figure out email and surfing the web, but what about taking your DVD collection and putting it on your Mac?

Before purchasing this book, read through the projects. Even if one of them interests you, the book will be a great value. If you aren’t interested in any of this, then it’s probably worth taking a pass. Projects are as follows:

1. Organizing your files
2. Mastering Spotlight searches
3. Printing to save paper
4. Installing applications purchased at the Mac App store
5. Providing Remote Technical Support
6. Remote controlling a Mac in your home
7. Accessing your files remotely from another Mac
8. Using DropBox
9. Copying DVD content to your Mac
10. Basic photo editing and touch ups
11. Creating a slideshow
12. Using Rapid Weaver for a family website
13. RSS Feeds
14. Configuring TextExpander
15. Full screen mode to avoid distractions
16. Audio Podcasting
17. Setting up Time Machine alongside a cloning solution
18. Using your signature in a PDF

Each of these projects are short—just four or five pages. The book is easy to understand and the projects are fun and relevant. They assume a basic to intermediate knowledge of Lion. No explanations of files or how to click a mouse is included.

Since I knew how to do all of this or the things I didn’t know didn’t interest me, I didn’t find the book that valuable. I learned this stuff the hard way through trial and error. However if someone asked me how to do any of these small projects, you bet I’ll suggest this book.

New Mac users who simply want to feel more comfortable with their Mac and need some ideas of projects will find this book ideal. If I did Macintosh tutoring this would be a great companion manual.

Overall, a fun book for intermediate Mac users with relevant and interesting projects.

Pros: Excellent digest of fun projects to get to know Lion and your Mac better
Cons: Limited scope if you already know how to do these things or if they don’t interest you.

Five out of Five Dogcows

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at  http://www.clickheretech.com

by Dave Greenbaum

“Apple would buy this app and include it in the OS if they were smart.”

While your Mac may not have a secret black box that records every crash, the logs that are typically accessible via the Console app come darn close to recording anything and everything that goes wrong in your Mac. The problem is being able to read it. Even advanced technicians have trouble parsing the voluminous amounts of data locked in those logs. Mere mortals rarely have a ghost of a chance understanding it. Log Leech bridges that gap and makes us look like heroes.

Log Leech won’t necessarily explain these logs but will help you at least find those nuggets of information locked in the haystack. Once installed the program will take all the log entries and sort them attractively by program (and associated icon) as well as by date. You can then use the icon to hone in on the specific information you want.

When problems develop with your Mac and you aren’t sure what could be the program, a look at Log Leech might help you find the answers. More than once opening Log Leech revealed the reason problems were occurring that I couldn’t easily find by looking at the console. Console lumps all your program information together. You can’t always see what you need when you are faced with an overwhelming screen of random code.

Log Leech takes the copious amounts of trivial information in the console and organizes it into an easy to use and read fashion. The Console App reminds me of DOS and the Unix world while Log Leech reminds me of a Mac.

Pros: Great for reading logs and deriving information
Cons: Apple would buy this app and include it in the OS if they were smart

5 out of 5 Dogcows

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

Review by Dave Greenbaum

The Dexim BluePack™ S8 is an absolutely outstanding all purpose external battery charger, not just for iPhone and the iPad, but any device that charges via a USB port. In particular this device is great for anyone who travels.

The capacity is rated at 3000 mAh, which claims to add 11 hours of talk time for your iPhone. While I could not fully test that, I was able to take an almost dead iPhone 4 to a full charge.

The most surprising feature of the BluePack was its weight. Even though it is high capacity, the device only weights 3.2 ounces and is similar shape and size to the iPhone 4.

Another feature of the BluePack S8 is a built-in flashlight. At first I thought that was a silly feature, until I traveled with it (which would be a common use of an external battery pack), and needed a flashlight in the middle of the night. Then I saw the light, literally.

The accessories the BluePack comes with are also quite handy. For one, it does a fast charge with a dual USB AC adapter. While you can use this for the S8, it works well for other devices. Additionally it has a USB to 30-pin iOS adapter, a USB Mini and a USB Micro cable. Since the charger provides a standard USB port, you can use either the included USB adapter or bring your own if you have a speciality one.

A great feature not always found in external batteries is the ability to charge your USB device while the S8 is charging. Plug the S8 into the wall and then your iPad or iPhone into the S8. Both devices get the necessary charge.

Overall, the BluePack S8 is a perfect balance of price, performance and features and I strongly recommend it as an external battery charger.

Pros: Great capacity, very portable, flashlight and adapters
Cons: Carrying case, cable length

10 out of 10

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

by Dave Greenbaum

When Google suffered a major outage recently and temporarily lost customer files, I, like others, saw the signs of a storm coming. CloudPull helps you weather the storm and keep your cloud-based information backed up. It is a simple program that is simply indispensable.

CloudPull by Golden Hills Software (http://www.goldenhillsoftware.com) is available directly from the developer and from the App Store and will backup both your Google Documents and your Google Calender for up to 10 different Google Accounts. It’s like Time Machine for Google. At any interval you select (every hour up to every day) CloudPull will download all your Google Documents and Google Calendar and keep them on your computer for a minimum of 30 days and indefinitely if you wish. Not only does it backup the current version but it also backs up any revisions. The folder structure is identical to that within your Google account, respecting which items appear in home and which are hidden.

Once downloaded to your Mac, you can then restore them directly from the off-line database CloudPull utilizes. This was great for when I was working offline on a plane. I had my entire Google Document collection available to me. Because CloudPull supports multiple accounts, you can have your browser open to one account while still reviewing documents in another account. It even supports QuickView so you can easily find the document you need. If you work offline with your documents, the program can’t put the document back into Google, however. You’ll have to upload the file to Google manually or copy and paste your changes. This isn’t the end of the world, but something to consider when you restore a document via CloudPull.

The UI is straightforward and includes a menu icon that uses green indicators to show your accounts are safely backed up and used a red indicator and exclamation point to warn you of problems. Usually it’s a temporary glitch, but I appreciate the early warning system and how similar it is to Apple’s Time Machine.

At $24.99, the program is a bit pricey, and of course you can manually download your Google Documents to back them up, but CloudPull makes it automatic so you are much less likely to lose data. While CloudPull doesn’t back up your Gmail, this can easily be done via a third party email client and contact synchronization is built into Address Book. CloudPull fills a gap for those of us wanting easy backups of the “office style” documents we create on the web. If you use Google Documents for serious work, then you owe it to yourself to get this program. $24.99 is a small price to pay for piece of mind for when the cloud leads you astray.

Pros: Backups up your Google Documents and Calenders automatically and protecting your information in the cloud.
Cons: Can’t restore files back to Google

5 out of 5 Dogcows

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

Review by Dave Greenbaum

Take your iPad to Work is exactly what you’d expect from this book: how to use your iPad in business settings. The book forgoes all but the basic details of setup, troubleshooting and multimedia and focuses strictly on a suite of business apps.

The first half of the book assumes the user has not used an iPad, so issues of setup and configuration are first addressed. After knowing how to setup Mail, Safari and Mobile Me is when this book really takes off.

Instead of most books’ standard giving a cursory “Hey there’s iWork for the iPad”, each iWork application (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) is devoted its own chapter and includes key details in how to best utilize each application in order to get your job done.

Realizing that as of this writing Airprint is limited to a small group of printers, he devotes an entire chapter to printing from your iPad and how to use the often confusing PrintCentral and WePrint.

The last 22 chapters in the book focus on specific iPad business situations and their applicable apps: Remote Desktop (LogMeIn), Point of Sale (Quick Sale), Invoicing (Simple Invoice), Social Media (Facebook via Safari), Shipping (DST), Web Meetings (WebEx, Air Sketch), Blogging (BlogPress), Web Site Stats (Analytics HD), Task Management (Things), Project Management (SG Projects), CRM (Contacts Journal), Collaboration (SharePoint), and Travel (Kayak).

If you don’t have interest in any of the above business uses of the iPad, you might skip the book. However, if you are using the iPad in business, I can’t imagine you not needing one of those apps. I was both impressed and inspired by some of the ideas and pretty much downloaded every app suggested in the book. With so many apps out there it’s hard to know which ones are worth making the investment in learning. This book makes it easy.

Overall, an excellent how to manual for making the iPad a critical business tool and the author has direct suggestions on how to maximize your use of the iPad. If you are using your iPad to play Angry Birds and watch Netflix only, this book isn’t for you!

Pros: Covers key business tools and apps
Cons: Could become outdated as new apps develop

Five out of Five Dogcows

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

Review by Dave Greenbaum

Drive Genius 3 is ProSoft Engineering’s latest version of its drive manipulation and maintenance application. If you can do it to a hard drive, Drive Genius supports it with an attractive and intuitive interface. The program requires an Intel Mac running Leopard and 512 MB of RAM as well as a DVD drive for some functions.

The program has two basic components. First is DrivePulse. Drive Pulse runs as a background app constantly checking all your hard drives for basic problems relating to drive and file integrity. This early warning system is optional and doesn’t work well when someone isn’t an administrator of their computer. For users who absolutely rely on their computer, DrivePulse will help detect small problems before they become big problems. In particular, the fact it can monitor your locally attached Time Machine backup really helps prevent data loss.

The main program includes a suite of utilities that goes way beyond the basic initialization, repair, secure erase and partitioning that Apple’s Disk Utility offers. Although most of these functions have to be run off another computer or mounted via a DVD, Drive Genius has its proprietary “DriveSlim” function that can help shrink a drive that is overrun with unnecessary language files (called “localizations”) as well as remove bloated code that won’t run on the selected system (primarily intel vs. non-intel systems). Many functions cannot be performed off a booted volume and you may have to download a bootable DVD for an extra fee if the shipped version of Drive Genius doesn’t support your computer. While the fee is only $5.00, it is nonetheless annoying.

Typical of most drive programs, Drive Genius includes functions to benchmark, clone, defrag and edit sectors. Most of Drive Genius’s function could be cobbled together with third party and Apple’s utilities, but with Drive Genius you get centralized support and a easy to follow PDF manual. All utilities are presented in an extremely stylized and Mac-like interface that is most reminiscent of Apple’s Cover Flow combined with multi-colored graphs. The program’s key functions are 64-bit, making it much more efficient for longer operations. According to ProSoft, Apple’s own Geniuses use Drive Genius as part of a ProCare yearly tuneup.

Pros: Extensive suite of utilities attractively presented and easy to use
Cons: Many functions require booting off a DVD or external drive, may have to pay extra fee for bootable DVD image.

4 out of 5 Dog Cows

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

Review by Dave Greenbaum

The Griffin Survivor case is a welcome addition to the line of highly-protective cases for the iPhone 4. This case was literally designed for war as it meets US Department of Defense MIL-STD-810 and UK Department of Defense Def-Stan 00-35. For civilians it means extreme protection at a great price. This has replaced my Otterbox Defender and is the case I use to protect my own iPhone.

Similar to the Defender, this Survivor provides 3 layers of protection. The first layer is a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame interior that wraps around most of the phone. The second layer is a clear plastic overlay that protects the screen without impeding audio or the camera. Finally, a thick silicone overlay protects every aspect of your iPhone including the dock and speaker jack (where the water sensors are located).

The silicone overlay is truly unique and reminds me of the earlier Otterbox Defender 3G cases. On each of the four corners (where impact is likely) the silicone is up to a quarter-inch thick and when dropped on this corner my iPhone literally bounced (the test was an accident, but I was nonetheless impressed). The flaps protecting the dock and headphone jack actually include a plug to form a tight seal when closed. According to Griffin, the ports block blown sand/dust (up to 18 m/sec for 1 hour). Water resistance isn’t claimed, but can be inferred given this sealed design. In a video shown on their website, the iPhone is dropped in a snow pack and still continues to work.

The belt clip is a great design with a minimal clip that attaches to the bottom of the case. It can be used in a vertical and horizontal position. You need to make sure it clips properly. I didn’t one time and learned the hard way how well the silicone bounces the iPhone when dropped.

An annoying flaw exists that may be a deal killer for some users. The flap protecting the rear facing camera is normally closed, is not removable and won’t stay open by itself. If you want to quickly snap a picture you need to manually hold the flap open. More than once I got a blank picture because I forgot to open the flap before taking a picture. I got used to it, but if you rely on being able to take a quick picture with your iPhone, this may not be the case for you. I didn’t mind, but other testers got quite frustrated and said they’d simply remove the flap if they used the case long term.

Despite the camera flap, I simply loved this case. Sure it adds heft and bulk to your svelte iPhone, but this isn’t about fashion, it’s about protection. Hands down, the Griffin Survivor is the best case to protect your iPhone 4. Its three layer protection, sealed flaps, and excellent belt clip make it an ideal choice for iPhone users needing ultimate protection.

Pros:  Great protection for your iPhone 4 from practically any mishap
Cons:  Annoying camera flap gets in the way, belt clip can be confusing, bulky

10 out of 10

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at http://www.clickheretech.com

Reviewed by Dave Greenbaum

Presentation Zen Design, unlike its predecessor Presentation Zen, gives practical and actionable tips on how to make a better presentation. While Zen and Japanese philosophy are still used as a method of teaching concepts, readers will find it much less distracting and much more integrated than its predecessor.

This book looks at the anatomy of your slides and how to make them supplement what you are saying as the presenter rather than being the focus of your presentation. Of course professional designers take years to learn these skills, but after reading this book I have much more confidence I can make a quality presentation without having Al Gore’s design team at my disposal.

Unlike typical tech books, practical examples and checklists are missing from this book. General ideas and viewpoints are presented instead, in short digestable sections, just like the bento box the author describes — a wide variety of concepts put together in a neat package that gives you energy and nourishment for the day.

After reading this book and looking at my previous presentations, I now understand why I and others fell asleep during them. I saw where I made my mistakes and what to change for the future. I’ll be doing much much less on individual slides and will make the concepts I present “pop” off the screen and have a clear focus.

For those people looking for tips and tricks of PowerPoint and Keynote, move along. This book is about practical advice and overall concepts of using “slideware” to engage your audience and help them understand what you are presenting.

Pros: Excellent overall concepts of how to make better presentations with a holistic focus rather than practical teachings of software functions

Cons: None!

Five out of Five Dogcows.

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0 http://www.laugks.org/news and published by Dave Greenbaum at  http://www.clickheretech.com

by Dave Greenbaum

Originally published and written for the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group 2.0
http://www.laugks.org/news and published by
Dave Greenbaum at  http://www.clickheretech.com

Unlike most other how-to books that cover all the potential features, training and troubleshooting, The iPad Project book exclusively focuses on getting things done. This book is not for those who want to learn how to use an iPad, rather it’s about learning how to do stuff with an iPad. Of course we love our iPads for remote surfing and email, but what else can we do?

The authors go through some introductory subjects such as cloud syncing and security tips then move on to using Dropbox, iTunes and Documents-to-go to manage productivity for the standard office suite. Then they move on to using multiple applications to planning an entire party — including recipes, shopping list and invitations — via the iPad. Finally, they cover creating flash cards, planning vacations, as well as a variety of audio and video tips and tricks. Most helpful is the last series of chapters that explain how to move DVD content to your iPad.

If you’ve ever said “I have an iPad, now what?” this the book for you. Even though I’m an experienced iPad user, the book had some great ideas and sparked some new ones. Some of the ideas I already knew, but had to learn the hard way. I highly recommend this book for iPad users who wonder what else they can do with their magical and revolutionary devices.

Pros:  Outstanding ideas about taking your iPad to the next level
Cons:  Absolutely none

5 out of 5 Dogcows

In the early days of Macintosh computing, the displays were black and white, the systems booted off a floppy, and the keyboards were noisy. That familiar “clickety-clack” of someone typing was as familiar as the whirring of the 3.5 inch floppy. Today we have displays with rich vibrant colors, drives operate off solid-state devices, and keyboards are silent. However for some of us, the keyboards are one giant step backwards and the Matias Tactile Pro keyboard is a giant step back in time that moves serious typists forward.

The TactilePro compares itself to the last great keyboard made by Apple, the Apple Extended II. The premium keyswitch used in the TactilePro is noisy because it’s a mechanical switch. Serious typists prefer a mechanical switch because it gives strong auditory and physical feedback when you press a key. Apple’s current keyboard requires an extremely light touch of the keys and feels “mushy.” Over the years my words per minute seriously declined because my hands would get tired after a long typing session and I’d often miss keys because I was trying to be too light and pulled up to soon on the keys. On the Tactile Pro, the keycaps are sculpted so that you can easily feel the difference and spaces between the keys. Your finger can clearly find the edges and return to the proper concave position in the middle of the key. The keys are also laser etched so the paint won’t wear off over time. I hate how all my keyboards certain letters have completely worn off. While I’m a touch typist I hate how ugly the keys look. This is a problem with the TactilePro.

Besides the mechanical keyswitch, the TactilePro has other serious enhancements professional Mac users will appreciate. The keyboard has a large footprint to ensure your hands don’t feel cramped and you have plenty of room to rest your hands comfortably. Personally, when I type on my Macbook keyboard my big hands constantly cramp because my fingers are simply too close together. The TactilePro allows my hands to spread out.

Similar to other Apple keyboards, the TactilePro provides volume control and eject keys that don’t require drivers and the control, option and command keys are clearly marked without the annoying Windows counterpart. Two USB ports on either side allows attachments of peripherals just like most other keyboards. The white color doesn’t match the current aluminum scheme of Mac’s design but it doesn’t contrast with it either. White is always in fashion.

This quality and comfort comes at a comparatively steep price of $150 retail. While Apple includes a keyboard free with most Macs or charges $50 to buy it separately, the Apple Extended II was $163 back in the early 1990s. A serious typist will find the TactilePro quite a bargain when they factor in the increased productivity and decreased fatigue this outstanding keyboard provides. I can’t believe I lived without this keyboard for so long.

Pros: Tactile feedback from a mechanical switch, laser etched keys
Cons: Cost, color choices

10 out of 10