Hello There Macintosh User!
If you are getting this email you have sometime been a client of mine — Thank you for your past custom!
1. New Software Releases: iCloud, Lion OS 10.7 and iOS 5 Apple is changing again. The announcement of iCloud, the new free synchronising service, Lion OSX 10.7 the new operating system for Mac computers and iOS 5 the new operating system for mobile devices, heralds a major shift in Apple’s focus. This time, the emphasis is on our data rather than our computer, our phone, our device. Once we embrace the benefits of iCloud synching all of our stuff so we can get to it easily any time, they will have us! Whaddayamean they already have!? More at: http://www.mrmacintosh.com.au/home/comments/14.html OS X Lion: http://www.apple.com/au/macosx/ iCloud: http://www.apple.com/au/icloud/ iOS 5: http://www.apple.com/au/ios/ios5/ Cringely: http://www.cringely.com/2011/06/iclouds-real-purpose-is-to-kill-windows/ Pogue: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/sorting-through-apples-many-announcements/
2. Virtual DJ: Fantastic fun! This free software is for playing your iTunes or any other music source with fade in and out, beat matching, effects, all the DJ stuff, and all on your Mac. There is also a Pro version for the more serious DJs amongst us. http://www.virtualdj.com/products/homefree.html
3. AutoCAD on the Mac: Finally Autodesk the makers of the Computer Aided Design software called AutoCAD which is the industry standard, have realised that Apple’s market share is growing and have made a Mac version. Its not cheap — $4000! — but it is essential if you are involved in a business that uses CAD design and you want to run it on a Mac. http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=15421056&siteID=123112
4. Buy Discount iTunes Gift Cards: This guy had to change his site’s name from itunesonsale.com.au to giftcardsonsale.com.au thanks to the usual heavy handed Apple corporate demands because it used the iTunes name without authorisation. This despite the fact that it is a not-for-profit site and drives people to spend money at the iTunes Store! Unbelievable how large companies behave even if we love their stuff. Apple are no exception… His site shows you where you get discount deals on iTunes gift cards. http://www.giftcardsonsale.com.au/
5. Quora: They have just received a big funding $ input so the investors believe it’s got a future. Quora is sort of like Wikipedia except in question and answer form as far as I can tell. They say it’s “a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it”. http://www.quora.com/
6. BitCoin: Digital money comes of age with BitCoin. Growing fast, it is an untraceable online currency that is getting used more and more by people who don’t like the way regular trade keeps a trace of who you are and what you bought or sold. http://www.bitcoin.org/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/12/bitcoin-online-currency-us-government
7. DAR.fm Radio: A new attempt to make radio relevant via the internet lets you record, play and pause radio stations. There is also a free iPhone/iPad app called Airband so you can listen while mobile. So far its US stations only but I expect that to change if it’s successful. David Pogue has a column about it below. http://dar.fm/ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/technology/personaltech/26pogue.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
8. Sophos Free Anti Virus for Macs: As the threat to the Macintosh platform increases you can either install Clam XAV and run it whenever you want or try this free program from Sophos that runs all the time. I prefer to run any anti-virus manually when I want to, rather than have a process running in the background all the time because it ties up processor power and generally make the trusty Mac less responsive. But its nice that there are options in this trying time. http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-edition.aspx
9. iPad/iPhone: Adobe Ideas is a really good little drawing pad to get ideas down. $7.99 Bar Code Readers such as Red Laser let you scan a product at a shop and get you more details about it and whether it’s available cheaper else where! Viber is like Skype but better, say the fans…
10. Mouseposé: If you do presentations (or just can’t see your cursor easily!) then this might help you. If turned on, it dims the screen and puts a spotlight on the area around the mouse pointer, easily guiding the audience’s attention to an area of interest. Also helps the visually impaired. $17 http://www.boinx.com/mousepose/overview/
11. Psychedelic Website!: Another crazy website to spin you out! http://inoyan.narod.ru/kaleidoskop.swf
12. Photobook Designer: An alternative to the built-in iPhoto book feature where you select images from iPhoto and create a physical book which gets posted to you after binding. Photobook Designer is separate from iPhoto and has far more editing possibilities. Obviously you have to export the images out of iPhoto first if that’s where they are. Wide range of formats and prices. http://www.photobookaustralia.com.au
13. A Reminder of My Rates: I charge $88 per hour including GST. No call-out fee or travel charge in the Byron Shire. Half hour minimum. Telephone support costs the same in 15 minute increments. Email support is still free! Please include plenty of detail in your email inquiries. Serving the Byron Macintosh community for over 10 years.
Items for Sale is a free monthly service for my Mailing List. If you want to list something for sale send me the full description/specifications and contact details. Goes out around 14th of the month. Until next time, Thank you Tommi ;>)
Mr Macintosh Tom Hain http://www.mrmacintosh.com.au PO Box 1040 Byron Bay NSW 2481 6685 5504 041 840 8869