The Mac 512 Blog

Did you pre-order an iPad today? I did.

2010-03-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

Yes I did it. Most of The Mac 512's readers already knew that. They know I have been looking for a Newton MessagePad replacement and until now could never find one that "fit" me like the Newton MessagePad did.

Is part of it knowing that it is an Apple product? Yes, the quality of Apple's products has amazed me and still thrive in my household. To be more specific that is 46 unique Macintosh models and 10 duplicate Macintosh models for parts); Newton Message Pads 100, 2000 (with 2100 software), and eMate 300; Next Cube and Turbo Color Workstation; Apple Lisa, and the iPod Touch (1st Gen and 2nd Gen). All of these work as good as they day they were made. At one point in time I did have almost all of them networked together. That was a pretty warm room.

Now that my pre-order is in process at the Apple Online Stores opening today, let me explain why a tablet form factor will work for me. The model I pre-ordered is the 32GB model with 3G capability. The only accessory I ordered is the black case as my reasoning is that I could get a dock later depending if I wanted one with a keyboard or not.

Graduate School

I went back to school again for my Master of Business Administration (MBA) and have classes and homework to complete weekly. As I am in an accelerated MBA program I have no breaks at all. This will add to my student loans since I decided to start back in school 5 years ago to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree and my Master in Information Systems degree.

Where iPad fits in for school: The iPad will help me carry my eBooks (PDF format) around. All of my interaction when I am not at my local campus is done on the school's website which acts as a way to collaborate with my fellow classmates too. Lectures and other resources are also found online. The school library is found online. At any downtime I can now study and complete my schoolwork anywhere. The 3G makes that possible. Pages looks like a capable word processor for my papers.

Full time Job

My current job involves Agile project work, software developing, and analysis of the Quality Assurance processes.

Where iPad fits in for my full time job: The iPad will be my new notetaker, schedule keeper, and all around Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). With a few apps and a stylus I will be able to sketch any idea or jot down any thought. Keep myself organized in the process.

Leisure Time

I like to listen to music, watch movies, watch music videos, and check up on new trends on the Internet. Video games is something I have not really done on my iPod Touch but will look into it on the iPad.

Where iPad fits in for my leisure time: The iPad will become my hub of the majority of my digital life. I still have my 46" LCD HDTV for major movie and TV watching. But with the right tools I can continue watching any movie or TV show I did not finish on the move.

What the iPad to me is

Knowing the 3G was my extra expense ($129) with the benefits outweighing the price made sense to me.
I could of chosen a Windows Tablet or just used a smartphone with the pricey data/voice plans. None of these products would really help me out.
I want a secure device and Windows cannot offer that due to the number of malware and viruses our there waiting to disable my tablet or steal my personal data.
I want a voice plan that is real cheap for my phone use. AT&T has expensive iPhone plans which does not fit into my budget. Now AT&T's $29 unlimited data only plan for the iPad does fit in my budget.
I also want a large screen but not as large as a laptop, yet much larger than a netbook's screen.
I want a fast system with little waits between applications and fast games.

The iPad will give me exactly what I want. The Apple philosophy of the App Store will help protect me and my personal data while giving me access to many applications. I will be able to live without handwriting recognition until a company decides to make a wow application using it or until Apple implements it in the OS.

Did you pre-order an iPad. If so, what will you use it for? The Mac 512 would like to know.

2010: Year of the tablet PC. Apple iPad vs Microsoft Courier - pt.1

2010-03-09T18:20:00.000-06:00

I have been an advocate of using a computer-based tablet since 1993. I have three Newtons and they are still very useful except you cannot go past the year 2009, unless you patched the device with an unofficial patch. Watching and participating in the pen-computing arena as an end user waiting until another breakthrough emerges has been rather interesting. I tried the Personal Digital Assistants from Palm and Microsoft over the years but never really topped the usefulness of the Newton MessagePad. For me handwriting recognition on the Newton MessagePad is the utopia on how a personal computer can become personal. (Your mileage may vary on that issue.)

Enter 2010 - the year the tablet pc really takes off?

Apple iPad

I was stoked about the possibility of a real Newton MessagePad replacement when Apple announced their tablet computer. Eagerly waiting until I can hold one for myself. I started a discussion on LinkedIn about using an iPad for my graduate studies and there has been a lot of talk about how great or how bad that idea is. Most of the people who think it is a bad idea either don't get how a tablet PC will help them or are really anti-Apple with their comments about a "high tax". Some think the iPad is only a eBook reader, others think because it does not run Windows 7 it cannot be good.

What I like from the iPad is the ability to use a large screen as your window to the world. Using the finger is a newer way of using the pen metaphor for personal computing. In many ways I like it that I cannot loose my finger like a stylus. Yet it is natural to use a stylus for writing down notes or drawing. Since you can put any application on it (from Apple's App Store) the unit is ultra customizable. Being able to use your finger for writing would be a +1 for me. We need an application that will allow the user to write in ink or draw with their finger on the same "page" for starters. That would be really useful for when you don't want to use the on-screen or external keyboard to quickly jot down a note. So the Pogo stylus may be of use if the iPad has a killer application that mimics the pen-computing of the Newton. This app could be built into the operating system too. (hint , hint Apple.)

By now we all know the capabilities of the iPad so I don't have to really go into the full detail. See my "Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100?" blog posting for more on what the iPad has and can do (from the announcement, not a shipping device). Being expandable is really one of the powerful features of the iPad that most people overlook. You cannot never have too much choice, in my opinion.

One thing that most people don't consider with a personal digital assistant is security. Having Apple oversee all applications means no nasty viruses or malware trying to steal your information. This is a good thing and a good feature.

Apple iPad - http://www.apple.com/ipad/
Pogo Stylus for the iPhone / iPod Touch - http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php

Microsoft Courier

Microsoft has been talking about a tablet pc through a "leaked" video about a new device called the Microsoft Courier since September 2009 (from my research). Engadget has the computer generated animation video on their web site about a Gen Researcher working on a furniture design project who uses the Courier as a personal digital assistant (PDA). After watching the video it brought me back to 1993. A PDA with contacts, notepaper, and connectivity with the outside world through faxing or through a modem. The Courier is not limited to a modem or faxing but most likely the device will have wifi and 3G, but I really don't know.

The first time I saw a picture of the Microsoft Courier I thought Microsoft was entering in the portable game market to beat out the Nintendo DS series.

Since I could not find any real technical specs I will stay more on the functionality of the device. According to Engadget the device is about 5" x 7" closed. So the dual screen will give you about the same size as a single 8-8.5" screen. Since the hinge is in the middle separating the screens, the device will not be good at some things like movies or a larger ebook reader. The device may be good for having a personal journal and that is it. Limiting the device like this will appeal to certain people but may cost potential customers in the long run. We don't know what limitations the device will have other other features until more information comes forth.

The video shows a home page on the Courier that includes: the web, contacts, journal, and a camera area. There applications are integrated by using your finger and the stylus to navigate and interact with the device. Using the stylus allows easy note taking, but at times I would like to use a on-screen keyboard instead. I have to give the device a +1 for the pen enabled computing but a -1 for the lack of an on-screen keyboard. Remember when the Newton MessagePad arrived? Many times the handwriting recognition was error prone and gave weird results until the device learned your writing style. This should appear again unless the device cannot convert ink into editable text. This feature of the Newton was really useful and made the device more useful than any other pen-computing device back then. If the Courier does not have this capability, it will be limited if the device cannot accurately find information or pull up web sites based on someone's poor handwriting.

Being able to collaborate with other people over the web on your "special journal website" is actually a nice touch. Their updates allow back-to-back communication on the pages you give other people access to. This will most likely tie into Microsoft's Live web hosting platform making instant customers. Some people say putting too much faith in a company like Microsoft or Apple in their product offering that don't allow you to have a choice is bad. I don't know if this is really bad, but if Microsoft had to make this component work with every web server our there that capability may not exist then.

The Courier may work out for some but if history continues as it has in the past. Most people will not purchase this device and insist a laptop or netbook is the best of both worlds yet. Getting over this misconception of most people may work against the Courier and its fans.

Microsoft Courier at Engadget - http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

Stay tuned for the second part where I look at my needs and figure out my checklist to help determine which will I want to purchase.

Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100? pt.2

2010-02-17T16:58:00.000-06:00

Ongoing series looking at the iPad and the Newton MessagePad 2000 / 2100 in comparison.

iPad Platform
The iPad has a 9.7" diagonal screen with multi-touch capability. The whole size of the unit is just a bit less than a regular 8.5" x 11" notepad from looking at the specs. Is this the sweet spot in size? For a tablet that could be used in business and even the health care industry I believe it is. Since you can have a carry case to protect the iPad this case must be around 8.5" x 11" or a tad larger like a regular portfolio, I am expecting. The 9.7" screen is the size of the popular netbooks in a handheld unit.

The multitouch capability lets the unit tell how much pressure and how many fingers are touching the screen. Away is the external Watcom pressure pads that you can add on to your Macintosh PC. Seeing where you can draw like a pencil on paper makes a strong advantage indeed. Seperate companies make a stylus that you can use on the iPod Touch and iPhone, and most likely will work with the iPad. So handwriting recognition is a possibility through software alone. Knowing that the iPhone OS is Mac OS X based. Using the same handwriting recognition software (Inkwell) that comes with Mac OS X should be a no-brainer to port. From my research that handwriting recognition program was originally ported from the Newton and was available in some versions of Mac OS X.

iPad comes with all of the iPod Touch / iPhone applications (Mail, Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Stocks, Maps, Weather, Clock, Calculator, iTunes, YouTube, App Store, Music, Videos, and Photos). The only information we have is release photos of the iPad so don't quote me on this as I won't know until the unit ships in another month. I am hoping for an advanced painting/drawing application is built-in. I can always buy one from software developers later through the App Store and may be the way Apple wants to distribute their software from now on.

Wifi and 3G access makes the iPad a strong candidate for today's world where easy to access information is necessary. I find myself as an iPod Touch only owner the I tend to go to places I know have free Wifi service since I have no 3G cell tower capability. If I lived in a large metropolitian area like New York City that task would not be that tough (my basis is when I was in NYC in September 2009 my iPod Touch could hook to some public Wifi hotspot no matter where I was). In my local area free Wifi is only at some restaurants or businesses, most establishments in my area don't provide this.

Expandability of the iPad is limited to a few devices at the introduction: keyboard dock, camera adapter, and a SD Card reader. More accessories will follow.

The need of a printer should be coming forth based on the rumors on many Mac rumor web sites where developers who downloaded the SDK mentions there are OS level print drivers in the latest SDK. (AppleInside forums). This will open the iPad to a new market like my parents. Using the touch capability will benefit my parents who are pretty much computer-illiterate. The mouse and the GUI confuses them. So the touch capability to navigate a few applcations (50 would put them over the top), surf the web easily with their finger, and print their annual Christmas letter from Pages = BAM. That is all they need.

Does the iPad answer my question?

My original question was "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" If the iPad was new to the point where no iPod Touch / or iPhone existed, YES would be the quick answer. Since most of the capability had existed for 3 years already, my thoughts are the iPad does extend that existing capability with a larger screen and 3G access. I will not be the first person to admit that the iPad is not perfect. But I will say this device will be the turning point where a personal computer is personal again.

For me, handwriting recognition would made it of mostly perfect in my opinion. I will enjoy the larger screen for photos of my trips, internet surfing, movies, music videos, and drawing. Taking notes with a small keyboard on the iPad Touch really limited my desire to use this for note taking at work. It could be done but was a pain as I often hit the wrong key while in my groove and had to backspace or try to move the cursor with my finger to correct the problem. I have the same problem with my Samsung phone's keyboard. I don't know if your iPod Touch or iPhone can sync notes to a Macintosh PC, I cannot with my unit. (I am still running iPhone/iPod Touch OS 2.2.X.) This lack of syncing is the other problem for using the notes application as a business tool. The calendar and address book is fully usable as a business tool. So will the Pages component of iWork sync? I hope so. Since the keyboard is close to the size of a regular MacBook Pro keyboard I should be able to take notes with ease. The true test is once I get my unit in my hands about 1 month from now.

With this taken into account the full answer to my question "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" is still a YES to me. Why? The interface is more user friendly and capable than the Newton was. The stylus of the Newton could tap and control the unit like a mouse. The iPad will have multitouch and pressure sensitive capabilities. So the iPad with its larger screen, anywhere capability for information (3G and Wifi), and control mechanisms (multitouch screen and accelerometer) is the wow factors the iPad has. This sets the iPad apart since the world now expects this in a handheld unit.

Was this a fair question? Not really. Taking devicing that debuted about 17 years apart is like comparing a car from 2000 and a car from 1960. Too much time as passed and technology has really improved quite a bit. It was fun to compare and contrast the capabilities to see how far we have come. I believe this is the start of when people really take the tablet computing metaphor into a reality. Not just a fad that some of us embraced in the 1990s. But a serious push towards how we can use a personal computer and make the computer personal again. Just like 1993.

I look forward in using my iPad with 3G capabilities to extend my world.

The third part will be after I test a iPad in my hands and see what the shipping unit compares to my original thoughts and how can we extend the unit. Expect this after the unit ships.

Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100? pt.1

2010-02-17T16:38:00.000-06:00

I have been a Newton user since 1993 when the MessagePad was released. Later the MessagePad was dubbed with the model 100 tag when the 110 and 120 models were released. What I loved was the business aspects of this little device and the handwriting recognition. Eventually as time went on and Mac OS X was released syncing became a problem and I retired the Newton from use in my life. I have the hardware to backup, restore, and sync to my Newton but was waiting for that Macintosh tablet which never came out. Often I pull out my Newton and show people what was available 12 years ago when only a handful of people willing to invest into the future of computing.

Enter 2010 with the iPad. Not a Macintosh tablet that I was wanting exactly. But a larger iPhone without the voice call capability. Is the iPad something that will work for me? Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table? The Mac 512 will answer that question in a series of postings.

What the iPad brings is the ability for Apple to provide a larger personal experience almost the same way the Newton did back 17 years ago. Both the Newton and iPad platforms are based on a separate operating system and cannot run Macintosh-based software.

Newton platform
I will admit that the original Newton MP 100 was very cool and usable back in 1993. The screen is perfect in size, however the unit was too thick to put in a pocket. The weight alone will sag the strongest pocket. The Newton MP 2000/2100 was the almost perfect size for carrying around like a tablet. This is due to the thickness being matched with a larger screen. The screen size for the original MessagePad was 336x240and the MessagePad 2000/2100 was 480x320.

Using the larger screen made the Newton MP 2000/2100 more enjoyable to use. A main reason was when writing down notes in ink the more room meant less scrolling down. The ability to convert any ink into real editable text is the main bonus of the Newton series. Eventually other PDA units came out from other manufacturers. None of these units were even close to the personal aspect of the Newton. If I was in a hurry I would scribble and draw out my notes and convert the text later. Talk about a timesaver.

The original Newton MessagePad had Notes, Dates (calendar) and Names(address book) applications. The Newton MessagePad 2000/2100 added an NetHopper (Web browser), Inbox (Email) applications, QuickFigure Works (spreadsheet), and Newton Works (word processor). Both had connection software to sync with a Macintosh or Windows. I used the Internet and email programs with the dial-up ISP Earthlink years ago. This worked pretty well with the ability to store all outgoing email until I could connect. The only shortfall with the Internet is the Newton would dial up your ISP, grab a web page or send/receive email, and disconnect the connection. It was workable back then, nowadays this would be unbearable.

Handwriting recognition and drawing support built in gave all Newtons the "wow" factor and usability. The ability to store the "ink" and convert it into real text later (or at that moment) put the Newton MessagePad into a portable device with real power for business people.

An Apple Newton 2000 / 2100:

Google to drop support for older browsers

2010-02-03T08:53:00.000-06:00

Do you use Google's web services (gmail, gapps, etc)? A recent email to all Google users of those web apps received an email stating on March 1, 2010 with Google apps onward to the end of 2010 with Gmail and other Google web services will need to upgrade. A message will be shown when you connect to Google's apps when they are upgraded.

Supported by Google:
Google Apps will continue to support ~~Internet Explorer 7.0 and above~~, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Macintosh Browser list:
Camino 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://caminobrowser.org/
Camino 1.6 supports OS X 10.3.9; http://caminobrowser.org/download/
Classilla supports Mac OS 9; http://classilla.org/
Firefox 3.6, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.mozilla.com/
Flock, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.flock.com/
Google Chrome, Intel only, OS X 10.5 and later, http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=mac
Opera 10, OS X 10.3 and later; http://www.opera.com/
SeaMonkey 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
Shiira 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://shiira.jp/en

Hook any IDE or SATA internal hard drive

2010-01-31T16:34:00.000-06:00

I use this external hard drive adapter to recover any files from any IDE or SATA internal hard drive with my MacBook Pro over USB 2.0. This unit is made from Sabrent and it works out great. Many times have I rescued the data from my friends Windows hard drives when Windows decided to go into the "black screen / white writing reboot loop" problem. If Windows cannot fix itself and does not Blue screen this "loop of death" is just as bad as Windows is corrupt and needs to be reloaded or recovered from a Recovery Disc.

Thank goodness that Apple includes a Mac OS X disc in every Macintosh sold as many of my Windows friends did not create their Recovery Discs and are forced to pay their computer manafacturer $35-$50 for a set. You get what you pay for and with my Macs I get the recovery disc with reliable hardware that lasts. Just ask my Macintosh 128K from 1984, he still runs!

Cool your Macintosh down with a USB fan

2010-01-23T08:38:00.000-06:00

This tip can be added to any Macintosh (or any other computer) that has an USB port. This fan is made from Ativa and cost me about $5 at Office Depot. I added both an Ethernet card and a FireWire/USB card to my Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh which blocked the internal fan. Adding on the fat back only made matters worse since it trapped the hot air inside.

The USB fan is a bit noisy but not as noisy as a full larger fan.
+ Upside: You can position the fan anywhere with the flexible metal cord.
- Downside: You need to keep part of your computer case off. This lets heat disapate faster since the heat won't be trapped in the case.
- Downside: Extra dust can collect on the electronic parts. Make sure you swiffer that dust off perodically.

Keeping your Mac cooler is one important step to make sure that your Macintosh lasts and lasts. Because I added a fan to the top of my Mac 128K (from 1984), this Mac is still working stong (and cool).

The USB fan that I can position anywhere I want to cool down with the adjustable metal cord:

Mac Tablet is coming almost upon us

2010-01-18T20:36:00.000-06:00

Today (1/18/2010), Apple sent out an invitation for January 27th for a special announcement of their new product release in San Francisco. Could it be the much hyped and anticipated Mac Tablet? Looking at the invitation is special as it indicates something creative. Perhaps a new iWork with MacPaint and MacDraw being reintroduced for the next generation? Knowing how much people love their Watcom Bamboo tablet having a Mac Tablet with that capability of touch gestures and pen input/drawing would be something special indeed.

MacPaint and MacDraw had subsequent versions that had color, yet here at The Mac 512 we remember the impact of the original versions. These original versions brought out the Mac 128K's power and capability. The ability back in 1984 to create vector-based drawings in MacDraw or pixel perfect paintings in MacPaint was able to be merged with MacWrite meant that anything you could create could be merged together and printed out.

The Mac 512 cannot wait to see if the MacTablet with possible handwritting recognition software from the Newton will appear?

Here is a copy of the invitation Apple sent out:

A sample of the original Mac Print and Mac Draw:

Shortcuts in Mac OS X and Windows 7

2010-01-15T21:11:00.000-06:00

A new year means a new way of looking how can you be more productive with your Macintosh.

Macintosh Keyboard shortcuts I use a lot:
Option key = During startup lets you choose the boot volume
C key - During startup lets you boot from the CD/DVD drive
Command+Tab = Cycle through open Applications
Command+I = Get info (in the Finder only)
Command+W = Close active window
Option+Eject = Eject 2nd CD/DVD drive
Option+Command+Eject = Puts Mac to sleep
Command+Shift+3 = Print screen to the Clipboard
Command+Shift+4= Print screen Range to the Clipboard

If you are forced to use Windows (like I am for my favorite online game and a few Graduate course requrements like MS Access, Visio, and Project) knowing a few shortcuts helps. Some of the Windows 7 shortcuts I use include (Windows Logo Key (aka WK)):
WK+D = See the Desktop/Again to hide the Desktop
WK+Left/Right = Move the windows to either the left or right side of the monitor
WK+(+/-) = Zoom in or out
WK+Up/Down = Maximize or Minimize the active window
WK+Tab = Cycle between open windows
WK+E = Open Computer
CTRL + Tab = cycle through tabs in a window
Alt-Tab = Cycle between open applications

My favorite Windows shortcut is - quickly getting back into my beloved Mac OS X through Boot Camp's Applet (right click).

We are now on Facebook - online discussion area

2010-01-06T22:14:00.000-06:00

After trying out a few other discussion forums that were attacked with lots of bogus accounts or bogus messages. The Mac 512 has decided to host a fan page on Facebook. We are simply The Mac 512 (if you search), or click on this link http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mac-512/269196500863. We are excited to provide an area that you the discriminating Macintosh collector can use to find your next gem or simply share pictures or discuss problems or your favorite Macintosh.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of mac512.com's readers! (Windows 7 bootcamp driver update)

2009-11-26T08:33:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here in the U.S. this is a big celebration that we Americans give thanks for our blessings and heritage.

If you are using Windows 7 on your Mac sometimes it is a need instead of a want. For my graduate school studies I needed to make sure I had the necessary software to complete my studies with Access, Visio, and Project (all from Microsoft). Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac worked flawlessly for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. I bit the bullet and put Vista 32-bit on it's own partition using the BootCamp helper to get the maximum speed from that slow OS called Vista. Virtualization is another option that we will talk about later (which I use too).

So if you are using a Mac and need more updated drivers over what is included with the Snow Leopard install DVD here you go. Keep in mind I am using Windows 7 on a MacBook Pro (June 2009) edition. So if your Mac has different video or sound hardware than me the two following tips won't help you.

NVIDIA graphic drivers - download the most updated drivers for your 9400M or 9400GT video card from http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us Use the GeForce, GeForce 9M Series (Notebooks), WIndows 7 64-bit options (or 32-bit if you need it). The version is 186.81 from 2009.08.27.

My Windows Experience Index in Windows 7 before the updated graphic driver - 4.2

My Windows Experience Index in Windows 7 AFTER the updated graphic driver - 5.1

Sound drivers - With the Bootcamp Snow Leopard drivers the vo
lume is lower than normal. Use these drivers to boost your volume louder from http://www.sussex.tec.nj.us/files/CirrusAudio.10.6.1.zip (The download is from a friend of mine who attends Sussex County Technical School.) This seems to also fix any microphone issues (I did not test this).

Access Time Machine Hard Drive share - Use this procedure to change Windows' behavior and you will be able to use the TIme Capsule share.
I needed to open the Local Security Policy program. Navigate to Local Policies, then Security Options, then Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level. Select the option "Send LM & NTLM - Use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated". Click Apply then OK. You can then enter in the device password with no errors to mount the hard drive.

Windows XP and Vista SP2 - If you are using either of these versions of Windows consider Apple's official update dated November 19, 2009 at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL967

Windows 7 64-bit with the Time Capsule (Dual-band version)

2009-11-02T16:55:00.000-06:00

To get Bonjour working in Win 7 64-bit with Time Capsule (Dual-band version):

Printer - Download the Bonjour for Windows 1.0.6 64-bit update program from apple.com. Install the program and no more problems with not finding the printer.

Hard Drive: I needed to open the Local Security Policy program. Navigate to Local Policies, then Security Options, then Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level. Select the option "Send LM & NTLM - Use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated". Click Apply then OK. You can then enter in the device password with no errors to mount the hard drive.

Windows 7 64-bit and the MacBook Pro

2009-10-30T05:59:00.002-05:00

Knowing that the most recent updates of the MacBook Pro from June 2009 supported Vista 64-bit, Windows 7 64-bit would work I expected.

Inside of Snow Leopard I used the BootCamp installer to remove my Vista 32-bit Bootcamp partition. Created a new Bootcamp partition, popped in the Windows 7 disc and started the install. As I cannot launch the Windows 7 64-bit installer from Vista 32-bit I needed to create a new partition for Windows 7.

I installed everything and did not put in my CD key into Windows 7 and continued on. It rebooted about 4 times during the install. Once I got to the Windows 7 desktop I proceeded to install Windows 7 again. Why? Because I needed to get my Windows 7 CD key in there so I could register it.

After the second install of Windows 7 (over the top of previous Windows 7 install) I entered my CD key and everything else installed and I was left at the Windows desktop.

I removed the Windows 7 DVD and put in the Snow Leopard DVD and installed the BootCamp drivers. Rebooted Windows 7 and everything was working (sound, multi-touch pad, network, Superdrive, etc).

I am now researching on how to get Bonjour working so I can access my Time Machine's hard disk and printer in 64-bit land.

Final Thoughts - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tested

2009-10-25T19:27:00.001-05:00

The strengths of using the MacBook Air is the light weight, large 13.3" screen, and using it for a few tasks at a time. The strengths of the MacBook Pro is the processing power, large 13.3" screen, and using the 10 programs I use all the time at the same time due to the larger RAM limit available. Overall both MacBooks are useful for any of the Macintosh or Windows programs. There is one Windows game that I need to run called Ultima Online.

If it was not for Ultima Online Windows compatibility for me would only be document compatibility that Microsoft Office for Mac 2008 does flawlessly. I do have from my grad college days Microsoft Project, Access and Visio I have available. These applications are not used much as my work provides me the same applications on my work laptop. So if the need arises I can use these three applications at work or now at home.

The performance of the MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz is very good. I know this is not the fastest (and the lowest speed available for this line) yet I don't ever see it when I am working on the laptop. My MacBook Air 1.8 GHz is definitely a bit slower. Not at the point where the Air is not useful. I can do everything on the Air as I can on my Pro, except only in smaller batches. Meaning, a lower amount of applications can be open at any one time.

Conclusion: Both run Snow Leopard quickly with the MacBook Pro being able to run Snow Leopard in true 64-bit kernel mode. Both are lightweight (with the Air having the edge in weight) enough to carry around anywhere. Any laptop over 4.5 pounds will be felt sooner as your body will be able to tell the difference. I could tell the difference between the Air's 3 pounds and the Pro's 4.5 pounds after walking around. So if you are looking for a portable laptop either will be a good choice - MacBook Air or the MacBook Pro 13.3" models.

MacBook Pro test - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tested

2009-10-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

Las Vegas and the MacBook Pro

Las Vegas was a busy time partying so using my MacBook Pro was awesome. The size and power was perfect while working on the plane, in Planet Hollywood, and in my hotel room. This is where the difference sets in of the Pro line of MacBooks. The 4.5 pounds makes this laptop not that light for carrying around. I took the MacBook Pro around my hotel, Planet Hollywood, and wished it was 1.5 pounds lighter.

The MacBook Pro is really a desktop replacement with all of it's power. I really have all the power I need and is as fast in using it as my Mac Pro 8-core. Not raw speed or power, but the usability factor. As I have 4GB of RAM Photoshop works as expected quickly as no extra hard drive accesses were needed. The ability to have multiple camera memory card access through the built-in SDHC slot, and 2 USB slots made it possible to pull everything off my camera memory cards at once. My two different cameras and one video camera use different memory card types.

So my opinion on the MacBook Pro is: A great desktop replacement laptop. 4.5 pounds is not too bad for portability, not great but not bad. Lots of RAM for my applications means a more responsive computer. Great for all tasks.

MacBook Air test - MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tested

2009-10-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

New York and the MacBook Air

New York was a busy time with friends so using my MacBook Air was delight. The size and light weight was perfect working on the plane, in Central Park, and in my hotel room. This is where the difference sets in of the Air line of the MacBooks. The weight and size makes bringing the MacBook Air along for the ride as the perfect extension of my Mac Pro 8-core back at home. Having the applications I will need for that trip was priceless and with the 2GB of RAM I have enough to do most of the tasks I regularly perform. I like more RAM personally so using Photoshop with only 2GB of RAM can make the hard drive read and writes take longer due to caching. The latest MacBook Airs still have this 2GB memory limitation, at least the hard drives of the current line are larger for more storage space. My wish for all future MacBook Airs is more RAM like 4GB in 2010.

The small factor really makes this Mac shine. I feel from using a NetBook Windows class in stores are somewhat useful but that smaller screen is really a limitation. I'm sorry that I like to see what is going on with room for multiple windows or being able to put things on the screen side to side. With the Windows NetBooks I cannot really do that without increasing the screen or getting a magnifying glass. Not that I am old but the 13.3" is really the bomb when it comes to weight and functionality. I feel bad for anyone who wants to have a smaller weight footprint and a larger 13.3" screen that did not have the pleasure of using a MacBook Air. The 10" screen or smaller had it's time from 1984 - 1999 but now 13.3" screens are the "sweet spot" of today's smaller laptops/netbooks. The 3 pounds of the MacBook Air is really nice and actually light to tote around New York.

So my opinion on the MacBook Air is: Great for low weight yet powerful for most tasks like web site updates (blog, twitter), word processing, spreadsheets, web surfing, email, and some gaming.

MacBook Pro and MacBook Air tested

2009-10-10T14:07:00.000-05:00

Recently I was in New York and Las Vegas and put these MacBooks to the test. More specifically the Air and the Pro. After taking these Macs into the wild and testing them in "real world" situations I have a new appreciation of them. The Macs are the original MacBook Air and the June 2009 MacBook Pro 13.3" 2.26GHz model. The time period was Labor Day weekend (New York) and last week (Las Vegas).

Both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air make great travel companions, yet I needed to take each on a different trip to see. I did form an opinion which is good so I know which platform I like taking and why. It may come down to choosing the right laptop for the right trip, or having one that I like in all situations. We will explore each laptop and see which one comes out on top.

Stay tuned for the second part tomorrow.

Snow Leopard is here - and it is good

2009-08-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

I like Snow Leopard. There I said it.

The ability to run in 64-bit is as natural as the ability to run 16/32-bit back in 1984. The feeling is power and excitement. After taking Snow Leopard (final version) for a spin I am impressed with the number of applications I use that do work without the need of upgrading. Amazing really. Two applications I use are not 100% finalized for 64-bit Snow Leopard - Rapidweaver and VMware Fusion. It is ok and I can wait while running in the 32-bit kernel mode until those applications are 100% finalized for 64-bit computing. Will I have to pay an upgrade fee? I hope not but it is ok if I have to.

The power of running everything in 64-bit kernel mode will be speed and quickness. The 64-bit transition was coming years ago. What I like about Apple's approach is they provide a backwards compatible 32-bit kernel. The downside is my Mac Pro 8-core has a 32-bit EFI. I cannot contain my frustration that Apple has no upgrade path for the 64-bit EFI. Unbelievable. So the Mac pro will become my 2nd most used Mac due to this shortfall. The Mac Pro 8-core is still trustworthy and useful so he is a keeper as a slave Mac waiting to do thy bidding. My new MacBook Pro 13.3" (4GB RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz) will use all of the new features in Snow Leopard and will become my main Mac. If I had a 30" LCD screen for my Mac Pro that may shake things up, right now dual 15" monitors will have to work on the Mac Pro.

I am excited about Grand Central Dispatch as my Mac Pro 8-core needs help in using all of those cores! At least my Mac Pro 8-core can use this to make those cores at 100% usage. All I need is update applications. As a added bonus the heat generated from this beast means no open heat ducts in the winter for this room. That should save me $$ again this winter.

Why do I like Snow Leopard? The price is attractive at $29 (due to no new features). New 64-bit kernel with core control (GCD). Plus more speed.

This is how fast my Mac Pro 8-core was when I first bought it. FAST. Updates to the Leopard OS seemed to bloat it down a little bit. The 8-core still processes anything fast except disk updates which it likes to do when I need to use the 8-core at full speed.

No more PPC code to worry about. This is actually a good thing as Apple needs to use a unified chip structure. Mac users when through this transition the most with 680x0 to PowerPC, System Software 9 to Mac OS X, and PowerPC to Intel. It makes sense to finally get rid of the PPC support. I own 1 G5, 3 G4s, and 2 G3 Macs that are still useful yet are not able to run many versions of Mac OS X. That is life. I also own 3 Intel (Xeon or Core 2 Duo) that will benefit from future upgrades for the next 6 years.

Will Snow Leopard battle it out with Windows 7? I sure think so. From my 20+ years of experience in the computing industry tells me that nice shiny new eye-candy is good for the first 2 months. Then it gets old. System 7 had that feeling and lost it. System 8 had that feeling and lost it. Mac OS 9 had the feeling and lost it. NextStep had that feeling and lost it. Mac OS X had that feeling and lost it. Windows XP had the feeling and lost it. Windows Vista had that feeling (if you could get to see it through all of those security warning dialog boxes) and lost it. Windows 7 will have that feeling and will lose it in 2 months if that. This is not a slam but the evolution of the OS.

Eye candy is good yet is bad when it gets in the way of using the computer. I think Windows 7 will be a good OS for those who are not convinced that the Macintosh way of doing things is best. To each their own I say. I use VMware to run Windows to play 1 game Ultima Online, and some Microsoft Windows only applications Access, Visio, and Project for my studies and parts of my job.

In the end using Snow Leopard is like using Leopard. A good friend that is faster, more agile, and will pounce over the competition. I give Snow Leopard an A+.

Snow Leopard ships on August 28th!

2009-08-24T17:26:00.000-05:00

News out today is that Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) ships this Friday, August 28, 2009! Finally my Mac Pro 8-core 3GHz will run at top speed. The price is reasonable at $29 (instead of the usual $129). Apple's web site said it was due to no new features, which I am glad for. I just want stability and speed! My feeling is if you have an Intel CPU in your Macintosh, you need this update.

Find out more information on Snow Leopard at:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/

Magicjack and the Mac

2009-08-23T19:43:00.000-05:00

I ventured into the world of Magicjack for our second phone line. The software on the Magicjack is the original version with an update available only to Windows users. Ha! To foil this I just booted Vmware Fusion into Window XP and updated the Magicjack. Since we wanted a vanity phone number we needed to perform the update. A vanity number is where you pick anything you want and the system finds a phone number containing that anywhere in the U.S. for an extra $10 a year. Unfortunately the customer support reps at Magicjack are totally not understanding what it means "I am using a Macintosh". They had no clue how their set up screens worked for those that did not have the update installed already. I did the Windows way as a "just in case" that worked out perfectly.

The nice thing about the Magicjack is the ability to set it up with one OS and use it on another OS with no problems. I could bring it to my friends house 2 hours away, plug it into his PC/Internet, and receive and place calls. This is nice for traveling.

The service is installed onto my MacBook Air. The quality is flawless with speaking/listening and the installation was as easy as plugging it in. The software on the Magicjack was simple and easy to use. I don't like the banner ads for their other services but I can move that off the left side of the screen to not be annoyed. I like the fact that the Magicjack works with the Macintosh platform out of the box. If you wanted a random phone number then the Windows update procedure listed above is not needed.

The costs is really low. I bought into a 5 year plan add on for an extra $60 that will save me $40 off the regular cost of $20 per year. This was important to me as it lowers this phone line to $100 for 6 years instead of $140. The extra $50 for the 5 years of the vanity phone number I purchased will be billed $10 each year and for my situation was a needed add on.

Over experience with Magicjack on my Mac has been great. I give it an A+!

How is this working with my MacBook Air? Magicjack has my phone connected to is. The MacBook Air connects to Magicjack by the USB port with the included extender cable. The MacBook Air is connected by WiFi to my Time Capsule. The Time Capsule is connected to the Internet. With the WiFi 802.11n standard this set up has plenty of speed to make phone calls work with no distortion or loss of quality. The MacBook Air is the most power efficient Mac (desktop or laptop) available. So the power usage with the MacBook Air on all day will not cost me a lot of money in the long run. Since the Magicjack does not have it's own box to connect through the Internet, a power efficient Macintosh is essential in my book.

Using RapidWeaver add ons from Loghound to enhance your website

2009-08-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

+= WOW

I have spoke before about the plug ins you can use to add to your RapidWeaver created web site. I have basically fell in love with the plugs ins from Loghound. I have previously blogged about SiteMap and RapidBlog. I have come to tell you the rest of their wonderful add-ins.

RapidBlog = Makes Blogger your text repository with instant updates. So while you are on the road, you can update your blog in real time from across the world.
SiteMap = Makes sitemaps for your web site easy. Plus, will send your updated Google sitemap to Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
FAQMaker = Easy to use FAQ pages. I am still experimenting with this tool to make the individual Macintosh FAQs come into one
PlusKit = Add automatic backups to your RapidWeaver sites, add the "lightbox" effect to scaled pictures, and import pages into other pages.
RapidFlickr = Store your pictures on the Flickr web site and link to them from your web site in an easy to view grid.
LockDown = I don't have a use for a locked folder here on The Mac 512, so I did not purchase this add-on.

My advice from using these tools is: if you use RapidWeaver these tools are a MUST. I cannot say how wonderful Loghound's email support is nor the nice people there who want to work with you to make you happy. I am glad I contacted LogHound with my questions and am using their products in every web site I create. Loghound's software is simple and powerful at the same time!

Visit Loghound for your RapidWeaver add-ins at www.loghound.com

Buy a Mac and get a free iPod!

2009-08-03T17:48:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty good deal since you can get a free iPod Touch when you buy a Mac with the educational discount program. The only catch is you have to be a student or a teacher. I did this a few years ago and the program worked pretty slick. I don't have a need for another Mac right now but there is always hope next year.

My current set up that I use daily is a Mac Pro 8-core 3GHz and a MacBook Air 1.8Ghz. Love doing work on the couch with the Air!

To redeem this offer go to www.apple.com

MacBook Air at The Phoenician

2009-07-21T05:48:00.000-05:00

Is that a MacBook Air? That is a mighty nice looking place there? It is The Phoenician (an AAA 5 Diamond award winner) resort in the Phoenix area in Arizona. You have to admit that the MacBook Air looks as nice and elegant as the hotel does. I decided to take a few pictures of the hotel and I could not stop the MacBook Air from making a cameo. I guess he just likes to be in the limelight.

RapidWeaver and SiteMaps

2009-07-12T07:12:00.000-05:00

More fun web site creation with RapidWeaver. SiteMaps are a good text based way to have visitors find information they are looking for. Plus it seems that search engines like them too. I am using a plug in by LogHound called SiteMap. This creates a nice looking sitemap plus the extra file google, bing, and yahoo can index quickly and efficiently. I am not a big fan of buying lots of goodies when I can manually create them myself, but in this case the price is well worth the time saved. The plug ins are the big reason I choose RapidWeaver due to the time savings.

Integration with the old mac512.com files

2009-07-04T07:31:00.000-05:00

I have started integrating the new RapidWeaver web site portion with both the old iWeb and GoLive 4 web site portions. The ease with using HTML pages and offsite pages is amazing. The beauty of RapidWeaver is the theme you can use to speed up web development. To create the menu bars I just drag and drop the pages I need and the theme does the rest.

HTML page - I just copy and paste the html code into this page and everything works once it is uploaded to the web. I don't have to change anything and the old page is magically brought into the theme I am using. That means both the menu bar and side bar are there. I will be doing this with ALL of the GoLive 4 pages. Once I have my structure rebuilt, later I can make the pages more modern looking. With this I can keep 99% of the page names the same and in the current directory they are in.

Offsite page - This is not as elegant as the HTML page as this just links to the page where it is already. No menu bars and no side bars. No theme elements. All of the iWeb pages will be incorporated this way. I need to see how this works before recreating the iWeb pages. If this does work like I am thinking I may keep these pages as is until I add content.

The blog area was basically a massive copy/paste job. As non of the iWeb pages are being indexed I needed to get them into the new blog area to get the information indexed and linked. If you cannot find this information on the web, what good is it?? No graphics, just boring text (with goodness of information inside).