Back to blogging
2012-01-12 12:20 PM Category Personal
It has been far too long since I have added anything to MacMousecalls. It was a busy fall. Christmas was hectic. I’ve had trouble thinking of things to write about.
All of those are true, but perhaps the biggest obstacle has been my shoulder. I started having trouble in late September. I was certain it would just go away, so I did nothing. Then I tried the NASID routine for several weeks. Still no relief. Then I finally went to the doctor shortly after Christmas. He diagnosed it as a frozen shoulder and ordered physical therapy. When I finally got in, it was a week before we left for Macworld. Now that we have been back for a week and I have had four therapy appointments, things are slowly starting to improve.
It’s pretty difficult to see that my shoulder is hurt. I can do forward motions of my arm just fine. It’s those to side and to the back that are painful--like holding my arms in a position to type. I also can’t reach behind my back. Putting on a jacket is a real pain!
I still have several months of therapy, but it is now more comfortable to sit at my computer to type.
I am an “instant” person. I am now learning a new form of patience! Look for more updates on a more regular schedule!
--Pat
All of those are true, but perhaps the biggest obstacle has been my shoulder. I started having trouble in late September. I was certain it would just go away, so I did nothing. Then I tried the NASID routine for several weeks. Still no relief. Then I finally went to the doctor shortly after Christmas. He diagnosed it as a frozen shoulder and ordered physical therapy. When I finally got in, it was a week before we left for Macworld. Now that we have been back for a week and I have had four therapy appointments, things are slowly starting to improve.
It’s pretty difficult to see that my shoulder is hurt. I can do forward motions of my arm just fine. It’s those to side and to the back that are painful--like holding my arms in a position to type. I also can’t reach behind my back. Putting on a jacket is a real pain!
I still have several months of therapy, but it is now more comfortable to sit at my computer to type.
I am an “instant” person. I am now learning a new form of patience! Look for more updates on a more regular schedule!
--Pat
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Steve Jobs, 1990
2011-11-04 11:22 PM Category General Mac
It has been a month since Steve Jobs died. More and more primary source material is being released. Each interview fills in a little more about him, Apple, and just how and why computer have been influenced and changed through him.
I found a link to this 1990 interview done for PBS. Because it is in a raw, uncut format, it is even more revealing. Don’t miss it.
--Pat
I found a link to this 1990 interview done for PBS. Because it is in a raw, uncut format, it is even more revealing. Don’t miss it.
--Pat
Writing foreign letters on Apple devices
One of the features I have really liked on my iPad and iPhone is the ease of adding foreign characters as I type. To add these letters, simply press and hold a letter that has special characters. You will see a pop-up, like this:
However, I have discovered that many iOS users have never discovered this special feature.
Many of those same users have probably missed this new, added feature in Mac OS X 10.7, Lion.
It works much the same. Press and hold a letter such as e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, or n and you will see the pop-up. Then use your trackpad or mouse to move the cursor up to the correct letter and it will appear in your writing!
Of course, this means you can no longer produce words such as nooooooooo by just holding down a key to have it repeat. However, just tapping the o key will produce a string of o’s.
I’ll be back soon with more tips. However, if you need more help, we offer trouble-shooting, technical support and training over at Bob LeVitus Consulting.Tutorials cost only $60.00 per hour. We have special software that allows us to see your computer and we can work on the things you want to learn. Give us a call at 408 627-7577. Or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com.
--Pat
However, I have discovered that many iOS users have never discovered this special feature.
Many of those same users have probably missed this new, added feature in Mac OS X 10.7, Lion.
It works much the same. Press and hold a letter such as e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, or n and you will see the pop-up. Then use your trackpad or mouse to move the cursor up to the correct letter and it will appear in your writing!
Of course, this means you can no longer produce words such as nooooooooo by just holding down a key to have it repeat. However, just tapping the o key will produce a string of o’s.
I’ll be back soon with more tips. However, if you need more help, we offer trouble-shooting, technical support and training over at Bob LeVitus Consulting.Tutorials cost only $60.00 per hour. We have special software that allows us to see your computer and we can work on the things you want to learn. Give us a call at 408 627-7577. Or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com.
--Pat
iPhone iOS 5 Home button magic
I was privileged to participate in another MacJury podcast last night. Our topic was the new iPhone 4s. Chuck Joiner, Tonya Engst, Jeff Carlson and I talked for about an hour. We discussed our latest iPhone buying experiences and our early impressions of the iPhone 4s.
Chuck loosely scripts the show so that the panelists can discuss many issues. One of the side topics last night was just how to perform various new functions on the iPhone. Let’s take a look at what the home button can do from the off position.
This is the Home button on the iPhone. Externally, it didn’t change, but the programming certainly changed in this model and iOS 5.
Click the Home button once and you see this, the standard unlock screen.
Now, use the Power button to turn the phone off:
With the screen black, click the Home button two times:
Notice the small camera icon in the lower right corner. Click it to open the Camera app without unlocking the iPhone. Remember that you can also use the Volume Up button on the iPhone to snap a photo or video.
The Play button for Music also appears. it will be blank if you have not recently played a song or podcast However, If you have, that item will show on the screen. You can also adjust the iPhone speaker volume using the slider below the Play button:
Again, use the Power button to turn the iPhone off. This time, click 3 times:
You will see the icon for AirPlay appear if you are on a WiFi network that is linked to other AirPlay devices:
The device you are using will have a check after its name. Because I have an Apple TV and two AirPort Express units on our home network ,they appear. Clicking on one of them would send the Music selection to that device.
The other thing the Home button can be used for is accessing Siri. Click and hold the Home button, either from the black screen or at any screen of an iPhone 4S.
You will hear a double tone and the Siri icon will appear. Speak while the icon is purple and Siri is there to help. If you don’t know what Siri can do, click the “i” icon for some help.
I’ll be back later with further iPhone 4S and iOS 5 adventures.
There are lots of new features in the new iPhone and in their software. If you need a hand, one of the services we offer at Dr. Mac Consulting is tutoring. Items like this make great learning opportunities. Tutorials cost only $60.00 per hour. Give us a call at Bob LeVitus Consulting. You can reach us by telephone at 408 627-7577. Or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com.
--Pat
Chuck loosely scripts the show so that the panelists can discuss many issues. One of the side topics last night was just how to perform various new functions on the iPhone. Let’s take a look at what the home button can do from the off position.
This is the Home button on the iPhone. Externally, it didn’t change, but the programming certainly changed in this model and iOS 5.
Click the Home button once and you see this, the standard unlock screen.
Now, use the Power button to turn the phone off:
With the screen black, click the Home button two times:
Notice the small camera icon in the lower right corner. Click it to open the Camera app without unlocking the iPhone. Remember that you can also use the Volume Up button on the iPhone to snap a photo or video.
The Play button for Music also appears. it will be blank if you have not recently played a song or podcast However, If you have, that item will show on the screen. You can also adjust the iPhone speaker volume using the slider below the Play button:
Again, use the Power button to turn the iPhone off. This time, click 3 times:
You will see the icon for AirPlay appear if you are on a WiFi network that is linked to other AirPlay devices:
The device you are using will have a check after its name. Because I have an Apple TV and two AirPort Express units on our home network ,they appear. Clicking on one of them would send the Music selection to that device.
The other thing the Home button can be used for is accessing Siri. Click and hold the Home button, either from the black screen or at any screen of an iPhone 4S.
You will hear a double tone and the Siri icon will appear. Speak while the icon is purple and Siri is there to help. If you don’t know what Siri can do, click the “i” icon for some help.
I’ll be back later with further iPhone 4S and iOS 5 adventures.
There are lots of new features in the new iPhone and in their software. If you need a hand, one of the services we offer at Dr. Mac Consulting is tutoring. Items like this make great learning opportunities. Tutorials cost only $60.00 per hour. Give us a call at Bob LeVitus Consulting. You can reach us by telephone at 408 627-7577. Or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com.
--Pat
iPhone 4s buying adventures
I was really hoping for an easy transition to a new iPhone 4s. Somehow, it did not work quite as I had planned!
First, there were new phone orders. When I went to bed on Thursday, October 6, I contemplated setting an alarm for 3:00 a.m., but I decided to let nature be in charge. I was awake by 3:10 and Safari was reporting that the Apple Store was off-line. I tried again in a few minutes, and I was able to get to the iPhone ordering page. Although I could choose my phone, choose my carrier, and enter my account information, things rapidly went downhill after that. I just could not seem to get through! Since I actually needed to order 2 iPhones, a white one for me and a black one for my husband, I opened two Safari windows. Then I decided to open a few more. Finally, the black iPhone page progressed and I was able to place an order. So, I closed that window and kept trying in the other windows…and that compounded my problems.
I thought I had both phones ordered, and I thought I had ordered for two different phone numbers--but I hadn’t and Apple cancelled my second black iPhone order. Of course, by the time that happened, all pre-orders were sold out, so I had a bigger problem.
In our home, I typically get the first device, and my husband gets the leftovers. I am acutely aware that this is not really that fair and so I try to make sure that he gets at least some things on the day they are released. Since the black iPhone was meant for him, I could not justify taking it as my own. Besides, I wanted a white iPhone.
I placed an order for a white iPhone from Apple, realizing it would come when we would be away from home for a few days. But I really wanted an iPhone of my own on day one, so I would have to wait in line for it. I am proud to say I almost ALWAYS wait in line for new Apple devices, but this time there would be a few problems. I live in the metropolitan Washington DC area. Stores were slated to open a 8:00 a.m. That would mean I would be traveling in the thick of rush hour and if lines were long, it could take me all morning and perhaps most of the afternoon.
There was only one other choice, an AT&T store. There is an outlet mall just a few miles south of me (against rush hour traffic). They just opened a new, larger store there. It look to be my best chance of getting an iPhone without waiting all day. It wasn’t an Apple store, so there should be shorter lines, but the ambiance of waiting in line at the Apple store would be missing. I decided time was important, so I headed south in time to be at the store at 8:00 am when it opened.
It worked! I was able to be home with my new white iPhone in about 2 hours. I missed the camaraderie of the Apple Store, but I had my new iPhone on Day One.
Buying an iPhone at AT&T turned out to be a great experience, They were able to cancel my online order with Apple, The salesman was very helpful and it was fast!
I’ve had my iPhone 4s for a few days now. I really love it. I can’t decide what feature I like best. I videoed my grandson’s Ankle-biter football game, took photos of our family as we gathered for a large formal portrait at a local park, and I have had lots of fun with Siri. Phone calls sound great, I have lots of room for apps, movies, podcasts and photos. The videos and photos are wonderful. And did I mention the iPhone 4s is fast?
--Pat
First, there were new phone orders. When I went to bed on Thursday, October 6, I contemplated setting an alarm for 3:00 a.m., but I decided to let nature be in charge. I was awake by 3:10 and Safari was reporting that the Apple Store was off-line. I tried again in a few minutes, and I was able to get to the iPhone ordering page. Although I could choose my phone, choose my carrier, and enter my account information, things rapidly went downhill after that. I just could not seem to get through! Since I actually needed to order 2 iPhones, a white one for me and a black one for my husband, I opened two Safari windows. Then I decided to open a few more. Finally, the black iPhone page progressed and I was able to place an order. So, I closed that window and kept trying in the other windows…and that compounded my problems.
I thought I had both phones ordered, and I thought I had ordered for two different phone numbers--but I hadn’t and Apple cancelled my second black iPhone order. Of course, by the time that happened, all pre-orders were sold out, so I had a bigger problem.
In our home, I typically get the first device, and my husband gets the leftovers. I am acutely aware that this is not really that fair and so I try to make sure that he gets at least some things on the day they are released. Since the black iPhone was meant for him, I could not justify taking it as my own. Besides, I wanted a white iPhone.
I placed an order for a white iPhone from Apple, realizing it would come when we would be away from home for a few days. But I really wanted an iPhone of my own on day one, so I would have to wait in line for it. I am proud to say I almost ALWAYS wait in line for new Apple devices, but this time there would be a few problems. I live in the metropolitan Washington DC area. Stores were slated to open a 8:00 a.m. That would mean I would be traveling in the thick of rush hour and if lines were long, it could take me all morning and perhaps most of the afternoon.
There was only one other choice, an AT&T store. There is an outlet mall just a few miles south of me (against rush hour traffic). They just opened a new, larger store there. It look to be my best chance of getting an iPhone without waiting all day. It wasn’t an Apple store, so there should be shorter lines, but the ambiance of waiting in line at the Apple store would be missing. I decided time was important, so I headed south in time to be at the store at 8:00 am when it opened.
It worked! I was able to be home with my new white iPhone in about 2 hours. I missed the camaraderie of the Apple Store, but I had my new iPhone on Day One.
Buying an iPhone at AT&T turned out to be a great experience, They were able to cancel my online order with Apple, The salesman was very helpful and it was fast!
I’ve had my iPhone 4s for a few days now. I really love it. I can’t decide what feature I like best. I videoed my grandson’s Ankle-biter football game, took photos of our family as we gathered for a large formal portrait at a local park, and I have had lots of fun with Siri. Phone calls sound great, I have lots of room for apps, movies, podcasts and photos. The videos and photos are wonderful. And did I mention the iPhone 4s is fast?
--Pat