The Preferred Toronto Apple Reseller of MacMedics:
The Preferred iPod and iPhone repair shop in Toronto of MacMedics:
A Safe Way To Dispose Of Your eWaste – And Get A Tax Receipt Too!
My Preferred Canadian-Based ISP
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Aug
29
If you just have to upgrade to Snow Leopard over the weekend or you just bought a machine with it pre-installed here are a few links to utilize for application compatibility information:
Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard: Compatibility (Macintouch)
Wikidot 10.6 Compatibility Page
Apple’s own 10.6 Compatibility Pages
Apple’s Printer and Scanner 10.6 Compatibility Pages
That should keep you busy! There are a lot of applications already compatible, some with a few glitches and some waiting for updates. You also may find a few that have reached the end of the line. Not everything is listed of course so do some research on those you need to find out about.
This has, so far, been the most stable release of any Mac OS I can remember – probably because it’s building upon a very solid foundation to begin with (10.5).
I have installed it on my main mobile machine (MacBook Pro 13″) and the process was simple and fast. The drive recovered over 8GB of space and everything feels much zippier – startups, logouts, rebooting, networking. It’s the kind of upgrade that you have to let wash over you. On the surface it looks very similar to what came before, but it’s the little things that begin to seep in as you go about your daily tasks. And of course, what did I do before I installed? BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP – a full up-to-date backup of my entire system before proceeding.
Aug
26
As a followup to the last post Macintouch has provided a compatibility page for Snow Leopard which I strongly urge users to peruse. Apple is releasing Snow Leopard on August 28th – a full month ahead of schedule – which is compromising 3rd party application developers’ ability to fully test or release updates to incompatible software. Adobe has announced that most (that’s right, they use the word ‘most’) of Adobe CS IV is compatible:
“As for Adobe Creative Suite 4
, everything is good with the exception of auto-updates to Flash panels (which I guarantee you’re not using) and Adobe Drive/Version Cue (which doesn’t work at the moment on 10.6). CS3 & earlier haven’t been tested.”
Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium
is a relatively recent release which caused some of Nack’s readers to question the company’s testing methods. Answering these complaints, Nack states: “I’d frankly be shocked if people at Adobe & Apple really hadn’t tested CS3 on 10.6. I *think* it’s just some corporate conservatism at work here, and Adobe doesn’t want to over-promise anything. As I say, though, I’ll try to find out more.”
However, Adobe’s tech support briefing warns: “You may therefore experience a variety of installation, stability, and reliability issues for which there is no resolution. Older versions of our creative software will not be updated to support Mac OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6).”
Personally, I think CS 3 will work as it would really alienate a lot of Adobe and Mac users if it didn’t. I also think Adobe has tested it with Snow Leopard (and Apple probably has too) – they’re just not going to allocate huge technical time to ironing out certain bugs.Maddening. Macintouch reports that:
Leister Productions Inc., the publisher of Reunion 9 genealogical software, sent e-mails out to its users stating that their program has incompatibilities with Snow Leopard. An update should be available in a week or two.
I use an application called Daylite for my business. I’m hoping to have a beta in my hands shortly that is compatible with the new cat as the current version (3.9.3) is not – don’t even think about installing it over earlier versions than the most current. I won’t be installing SL on any of my own production machines until my main apps are deemed compatible. So again, please be careful and do your homework before making the transition.
Early Reviews
For those of you who want to read about early reviews check out 9to5Mac’s “Snow Leopard reviews start coming in…”
And of course you’ve got read David Pogue’s: Apple’s Sleek Upgrade
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UPDATE: Adobe has already responded to the CS 3 compatibility issue:
Principal Product Manager for Photoshop John Nack pointing to a new FAQ document noting that only Creative Suite 4 will be officially supported on Apple’s forthcoming Snow Leopard operating system, with Creative Suite 3 and earlier versions reportedly not having been tested on Snow Leopard.
Nack has now posted an update after investigating the CS3 situation in which he reveals that Adobe and Apple actually did do extensive testing of at least Photoshop CS3 on Snow Leopard and found that it is in fact compatible with the new operating system.
It turns out that the Photoshop team has tested Photoshop CS3 on Snow Leopard, and to the best of our knowledge, PS CS3 works fine on Snow Leopard.Nack notes that only two minor issues remain that his Photoshop team is aware of: window highlight rings in Exposé and text field nudging in Japanese versions of Snow Leopard. But while Photoshop CS3 otherwise appears to be perfectly compatible with Snow Leopard, Adobe has chosen to not categorize it as officially supported due to the level of testing it feels would be required in order to be entirely confident in that statement.
That was fast! Follow the above link for more info and wait for more announcements from other software companies.
Aug
25
Snow Leopard Update
Filed Under Apple News, Tech News, Views | Leave a Comment
Apple Announced it will be releasing Snow Leopard aka 10.6 it’s next version of the Macintosh Operating System this Friday, the 28th of August. This is ahead of the original launch date of some time in September. I’ve had a chance to play with this new cat and I think it will be a worthwhile upgrade for many users.
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A few things to note and remember:
- Snow Leopard will ONLY run on an Intel-based Mac – no G3, G4 OR G5 machines are supported – you’re just out of luck.
- As with 10.5, there is no support for legacy applications requiring OS 9 access.
- If you use Palm Desktop for syncing to a Palm device Apple has just announced that native support for this is now GONE – I think Apple and Palm have a bit of hate-on happening here. You will still be able to sync a Palm device. It will require a 3rd Party solution like the Missing Sync for Palm.
- Research the applications you use to make sure they are Snow Leopard Compatible. Don’t be one of the first to install the new OS only to find out the application you use everyday doesn’t work anymore. Anything Apple-related i.e iLife 09, iWork09 etc…will be fine. I have no idea yet about older versions or about Microsoft Office etc…I strongly urge you to check out the companies websites to make sure you don’t regret the decision to upgrade.
- There will be plenty of people who will install 10.6 on day 1 of it’s release. Watch this blog and other Apple news sites for updates and followups before installing. If you must install (and I get that) make sure you have BACKUP of your data – preferably a CLONE of your current system so you can go back should you need to and at least run whatever backup system you currently use now before upgrading.
- The $35 price tag on the upgrade only applies to those users running 10.5 on their systems – it’s an upgrade, not a full install. If you’re running 10.4 on your Intel-based Mac this inexpensive version won’t install. You will need to buy a more expensive FULL installation DVD. Pricing for that is unknown although you can buy a Mac Box Set which includes iLife 09, iWork 09 and Snow Leopard for $199 (if you need to upgrade those pieces it’s a great deal). Call your favourite Apple Reseller or the Apple Store to find out more details.
First Impressions
So, I’ve had a chance to use the new system, but I don’t want to reveal too much as I’m not sure what I’m allowed to reveal until it’s officially released.
Speed/Ease of Use – It is faster which is always welcome – you will notice a speed increase to your system. Startup and shutdown times have been tweaked as well as waking from sleep. Time Machine backups are supposed to be much faster, but I haven’t tested this yet. Features like Expose, which allows you to isolate open windows in a given application, works much more intuitively with less buttons (read none) to press – just click and hold on an application in the dock and all it’s open windows reveal themselves.
Syncing – iCal now supports direct syncing to Google Calendar (as well as Yahoo and MobileMe). This is great for GMAIL and Google Premier Users. There are still more elegant 3rd party solutions for this out there (BusySync is one, SpanningSync another), but at least it’s built into the OS and is free. In addition, the new Address Book can sync contacts to Google (and Yahoo) directly. What does this mean? Well, now that Google supports over-the-air sync with iPhones i.e. you don’t have to plug in your phone to your computer to sync calendars and contacts – your laptop or desktop Mac can now participate in this – no need for a MobileMe account since Google’s services are FREE. In addition to regular MobileMe support you can also share your address book with either Read-Only or Read-and-Write access with other MobileMe users – interesting. Another very important change is full Exchange 2007 support for all of Apple’s communication applications – iCal, Address Book and Mail. This is important for business users who operate in that world.
Applications – The changes I’ve seen have been mostly under the hood – cosmetically most apps look the same. I’ve mentioned a few feature tweaks above. One application that has gotten a major overhaul is Quicktime. It is now called Quicktime X and has the features of what was known as Quicktime Pro (used to cost $29). You can now make rudimentary edits of video and send it to MobileMe, iTunes or You Tube. You can also now create new audio and video recordings using the built-in mic and iSight camera on Macs that have these which is most. One brand new feature is the ability to take video screen captures. This is great for demonstration purposes for someone like me. I already use an excellent application for this called ScreenFlow, but this will make it really easy to do quick one-offs. It’s interface has a whole new look as well and appears very similar to the iPhone’s implementation of video capture and editing.
Another application I noticed that got some changes was Preview – Apple’s native PDF and Picture viewer. 10.5 introduced the ability to annotate PDF’s and easily combine multiple PDF’s into one. Preview in 10.6 makes annotating even easier with more tools more readily available for use and the ability to properly select text within columns. I think users who deal with PDF’s a lot are going to love this.
Other Tweaks – As with any new Operating System you tend to find things as you play with it. I noticed little things like the Airport status menu’s new ability to tell you not only if a wireless network is locked or not but how strong the signal is. Some system preferences have changed their arrangement a bit and some Utilities like Directory Utility have been integrated with the Accounts system preference (this is a more advanced utility used in Server situations). Again, I can’t really provide screen shots here as the new Cat is not quite out of the bag.
Conclusion – I think Snow Leopard is what Apple said it would be – an evolution of the OS, not a revolution. It builds upon Leopard’s technologies and adds some very welcome features. There are many I haven’t discovered yet and I look forward to a more thorough review. I’m also looking forward to Snow Leopard Server’s new features for business users. Ultimately, I will want all my clients who can to migrate to this new kitty, but not until the core applications they use everyday are deemed fully compatible – this includes basic things like printers and scanners as well. I advise waiting initially until we all know a bit more and if you must upgrade please BACK UP YOUR DATA.
Aug
19
Number 9, Number 9, Number 9…
Filed Under Apple News, Tech News | Leave a Comment
Our first heat wave in Toronto and things slow down, way down. It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but that doesn’t mean nothing is going on. In fact, there is much a-buzz in the world of Apple so let’s get to it.
An Apple Event
Mark your calendars: September 9th – Apple has announced a special music-focused event. Speculation has been rampant all summer on a variety of rumours:
1. Apple is releasing a new 10″ Tablet
2. Apple is releasing some kind of NetBook
3. Apple will be introducing a 6″ iPod Touch
4. Steve Jobs will be making his public re-appearance
5. The Beatles are coming to iTunes
6. New iPods with cameras are coming
7. Apple is great. God is great ergo Apple is God.
So, what’s the what on all of this. I have no crystal ball, but my gut tells me the following:
1. There will be new iPods with cameras and other bells and whistles announced
2. There may be something about the Beatles and iTunes. Why do I think this? Well, the new Beatles Rock Band is to be released September 9th. There are rumours the remastered catalog is to be released the same day in an effort to present the game as part of the Beatles legitimate canon – check out this excellent NY Times article on the making of Beatles Rock Band. It could be as Digital Media points out, a Perfect Beatles Storm.
3, Steve Jobs public re-emergence – it’s to too tough to call. If something like a tablet or a unique iPod-like tablet is coming it may be enough to pry him from his shell. Otherwise, he’s a no-show.
4. The tablet – rumours are that we won’t see this yet – but something important is coming:
Businessweek spoke to Richard Doherty, a director at market researcher Envisioneering Group on Apple’s upcoming Tablet(s):
“There’s no hotter topic [than tablets] in Asia right now,” …Apple has developed prototypes of two different tablet machines—one that resembles a large-sized iPod and boasts a 6-inch screen, and another that features a larger display. Apple may launch one or both devices as early as September, Doherty says. A decision on whether and when Apple takes the tablet plunge lies with Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Doherty says.
Other News
Apple has surpassed RIM and the Blackberry as the number 2 Smartphone (yeah, Apple is number 2!) in Europe making the case for my last point (Apple is God):
While still trailing significantly behind Nokia, Apple has passed RIM’s Blackberry to become the number two smartphone vendor in Europe, according to estimates made by Canalys. The market share increase is staggering (over 1000% growth)!
The iPhone has also captured a staggering 1/3 of US WiFi traffic. Those same iPhones have been reported exploding when upset:
According to French financial daily Les Echos, witnesses to the most recent incident in Aix-en-Provence, France, reported that an iPhone suddenly began to “crackle and pop like a deep-frier” before breaking apart and hurling pieces of its screen everywhere. Bits of glass hit an adolescent boy in the eye, according to his parents.
At the same time Engadget is reporting that Fortune regards RIM (makers of the Blackberry) as the fastest growing coming in the world! Such contrasting realities. RIM also announced that they will FINALLY be releasing their own version of Blackberry Desktop and a Syncing solution for Mac in the September:
BlackBerry Desktop Software is coming to Mac in September!
With BlackBerry® Desktop Software you’ll be able sync your iTunes® playlists and personal information like contacts, tasks and appointments; install new software, games, and more. BlackBerry Desktop Software will offer the best of both worlds by allowing you to manage aspects of your BlackBerry® smartphone from your Mac.
BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac is coming soon in September.
This will be a welcome change for those Mac users still using a Blackberry and hopefully mark the end of endless synchronization woes – we’ll see.
Apple is building a 500,000 Square Foot data centre in North Carolina sparking much speculation about its future plans regarding Cloud Computing:
Cult of Mac posts an interview with Rich Miller, editor of Data Center Knowledge, regarding possible plans for Apple’s $1 billion data center due to open in rural Maiden, North Carolina in 2010. At approximately 500,000 square feet and roughly five times the size of the company’s existing center in Newark, California, Apple’s new data center will be among the largest in the world, sparking questions about what the company plans to do with the capacity.
Last But Not Least
Snow Leopard (10.6) hits Golden Master and is on the verge of shipping. Yes folks, the next version of the Mac OS is upon us (G3, G4 and G5 processors need not apply). Highlights include:
• The Dock, the Mac OS X folder structure, and Mail — all faster and with new Snow Leopard-only features
• iLife apps such as iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto — each with its own mini-manual
• Safari 4, the latest and best-performing Mac web browser
• QuickTime X, the new multimedia player that lets you trim and share clips to YouTube, MobileMe, and iTunes
•Snow Leopard’s new support for Microsoft Exchange, and how you can best use it
• Features such as Spaces for organizing tasks, and Time Machine for backups
9to5 Mac put together an excellent list of forthcoming Guides To Snow Leopard and don’t forget Lynda.com as I’m sure that site will have an introduction to Snow Leopard upon it’s release.
All in all it’s great to be part of the Mac World. So much interest, great products both now and to come, Snow Leopard in a couple of weeks – stay tuned.
Aug
6
A Shift In The Wind
Filed Under Views | Leave a Comment
I absolutely love this latest post from David Pogue of the New York Times. Here it is in it’s entirety:
Is Google Voice a Threat to AT&T?
Chapter 1: Apple creates the iPhone.
Chapter 2: Apple opens the App Store, an online catalog of cheap or free programs that you can download straight to the phone. Programmers all over the world write 70,000 apps for it that perform every amazing feat you can name.
Chapter 3: One of them is Google Voice, a front end for Google’s amazing free phone-management system (http://bit.ly/ZPgVv). Among its many features: it lets you send free text messages and make 2-cent international calls, right from the iPhone.
Chapter 4: Apple mysteriously rejects this eminently useful app, refusing to list it in the App Store.
Then it goes even farther: it actually deletes from the App Store two similar programs called GV Mobile and Voice Central, which have been there for months. That is, Apple changes its mind retroactively — and won’t give the developers any logical explanation (http://bit.ly/vdbMq).
Chapter 5: The blogosphere goes nuts. There’s only one possible reason that Apple might delete these apps: because AT&T demanded it.
Why would AT&T care? Because of those free text messages and cheap international calls, of course. If these apps became popular, AT&T’s revenue could take a serious hit.
This business has blown up in Apple/AT&T’s face. The Federal Communications Commission, in fact, is now sniffing around, sending letters (http://bit.ly/53FaK) to Apple, AT&T and Google, clearly wondering if there’s some illegal collusion going on. A few days later, Google’s chief executive stepped down from Apple’s board; tension is rising.
AT&T/Apple’s logic doesn’t even make sense. If the object is to prevent you from making cheap international calls, then they would also have to block Skype and all the other apps (already available) that let you do so. If it’s to prevent you from sending free text messages, then they should also block FreeMMS and other apps that already do that.
It’s almost as though AT&T/Apple never really cared while the apps in question stayed where they belonged—under the radar. But once big-shot Google got involved… well, we can’t have that, can we?
(The whole thing is especially galling since text messages are pure profit for the cell carriers. Text messaging itself was invented when a researcher found “free capacity on the system” in an underused secondary cellphone channel: http://bit.ly/QxtBt. They may cost you and the recipient 20 cents each, but they cost the carriers pretty much zip.)
In short, what Apple and AT&T have accomplished with their heavy-handed, Soviet information-control style is not to bury these useful apps. Instead, Apple/AT&T have elevated them to martyr status—and, in effect, thrown down a worldwide challenge to programmers everywhere.
“Get around THIS,” they’re saying.
But guess what? It won’t take long. They’ve put a rock in the river, but the water will just find a way around it.
Already, Google says it is readying a replacement for the Google Voice app that will offer exactly the same features as the rejected app—except that it will take the form of a specialized, iPhone-shaped Web page. For all intents and purposes, it will behave exactly the same as the app would have; you can even install it as an icon on your Home screen.
What’s Apple going to do now? Start blocking access to individual Web sites?
No question about it: the next chapter has yet to be written. But I think you’re going to like it.
Aug
5
Apple posted Mac OS X 10.5.8, a collection of security and bug patches that’s available in 10.5.8 Combo and Server Comboversions, as well as incremental updates for Macs running 10.5.7. Apple’s advice:
You should back up your system before installation; you can use Time Machine.
Do not interrupt the installation process once you have started to update your system. You may experience unexpected results if you have third-party system software modifications installed, or if you’ve modified the operating system through other means.What’s included in this update:
*Upgrades Safari to version 4.0.2.
*Improves the accuracy of full history search in Safari 4.
*Resolves an issue in which certain resolutions might not appear in the Display pane in System Preferences.
*Dragging an Aperture image into Automator now invokes an Aperture action instead of incorrectly invoking an iPhoto action.
*Resolves an issue that could prevent importing of large photo and movie files from digital cameras.
*Improves overall Bluetooth reliability with external devices, USB webcams and printers.
*Addresses an issue that could cause extended startup times.
*Improves iCal reliability with MobileMe Sync and CalDav.
*Addresses data reliability issues with iDisk and MobileMe.
*Improves overall reliability with AFP.
*Improves overall reliability with Managed Client.
*Improves compatibility and reliability for joining AirPort networks.
*Improves Sync Service reliability.
*Includes additional RAW image support for several third-party cameras.
*Improves compatibility with some external USB hard drives.
*Includes latest security fixes.
Please heed the warning!