BMUG News December 11, 2012 1

DECEMBER 11, 2012

A Publication of the Bellarine Mac User Group Founded May 2006 Meetings Second Tuesday of the Month http://bellarinemac.org.au

INDEX

President’s Report......................1

Jottings from your Committee....2

Member Problem................3 & 4

Member Contribution...............5

Book Reviews.............................6

Product Reviews.........................7

Member Questions........8, 9 & 10

Garage Band SIG Report..........9

Genealogy by Carol Wilson.....10

Interesting Articles...................11

Members Market Place............12

BMUG Assist Program............13

Editorial...................................13

Member Benefit.......................13

Monthly Meeting

Tuesday December 11

Starts 4.00 PM AT

St Peter’s Hall Corner Draper & Hodgson

Streets

Ocean Grove

ALL WELCOME!

BMUG Newsletter Masthead & LayoutDesigned by Peter Baldwin.

BMUG Newsletter is published monthly. It is produced using Apple Pages and converted to PDF Format for transmission to members.

DECEMBER MEETING

BMUG offers support to users of Apple ProductsWhether you are a first time user or a hot shot computer programmer, we like to think that we have something we can offer you, especially new Tips for each Device. We are simply a group of people who get together once a month to exchange ideas, ask advice, share knowledge and enjoy each other’s company.

The final Pixelmator SIG led by Dick Brown will be from 2pm to 3.30pm. Our normal meeting commences at 4pm with a short presentation by Mat Vistarini, Manager of NewWave Systems Geelong. He will demonstrate some of the newly released Apple products. Following this presentation we will have our usual annual breakup of nibbles and drinks. We look forward to seeing you at our Christmas Meeting.

I want to give you all something to think about over the summer holiday break. A simple question to ask yourself.“What can I do to ensure BMUG continues to grow and thrive next year?”Most of us are retired. We want to be able to go away without being tied down, as we were during our working lives. Consequently, we need your help with some of the Committee roles to keep BMUG functioning. Early next year we will need to fill two positions:A Membership Secretary and a Secretary. We also need an understudy for the Treasurer, and for the Newsletter Editor. Not only will you enhance your computer skills as you learn from the experienced members, this will ensure a smooth transition as and when it becomes required.If two people share a role the work load is halved, and one can usually get away as needed.

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas.

Peter Oakley

COMMITTEEPresident & BMUG Assist.Peter Oakleypeteroakley@bellarinemac.org.au

Vice President, Editor& Web Assist.Peter Baldwin peterbaldwin@bellarinemac.org.au

Secretary & Membership.P o s i t i o n V a c a n t . Volunteer Required.

Treasurer.Ian Littleianlittle@bellarinemac.org.au

Hall & Equipment,New to Mac Advisor.Margaret Evansmargaretevans@bellarinemac.org.au

Meet, Greet & Secretary Assist.Bev Ameybevamey@bellarinemac.org.au

C o m m i t t e e M e m b e r. P o s i t i o n V a c a n t . Volunteer Required.

AUSOM RaffleThe Raffle was drawn o n S a t u r d a y 1 s t D e c e m b e r a t t h e i r December meeting.Your Pres ident and Editor were present to witness the drawing of the three great prizes.Unfortunately, no one from our Group won a Prize. Better luck next year!

Christmas PartyThis Month is our Christmas Party and final Meeting for the Year.

Come along and enjoy the hospitality.

No Meeting in JanuaryPlease Note: There will be no meeting held in January and there will not be a Newsletter.

Your Committee needs a well earned break to spend time with their family.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 12th February 2013.

Committee Vacancy: Urgent!Pat Hollis has resigned her position as Secretary and Membership Director on our Committee. If you are able to assist, please contact President Peter Oakley. peteroakley@bellarinemac.org.au

BMUG Website now activeThanks to the hard work of Prue Patterson and Peter Baldwin, the BMUG website is once again active, with our new Host, MacHighway. You will note that it is not as

detailed as our previous website. That is because it is an ongoing work in progress. You are able to pay your membership through the website using PayPal.! http://bellarinemac.org.au

New Garage Band SIG A new Garage Band SIG commenced on 7th November at the residence of Brian Rigg. A few places are still available. Contact President Peter Oakley for details. peteroakley@bellarinemac.org.au

See Report of first Meeting by Greg Melville in this Newsletter.

Program for the New YearIn February David Dixon will commence an iMovie tuition segment, as part of our normal meeting program. It is proposed that this segment will run over several meetings.

iPhoto and iMove tuition were the most requested topics for inclusion in our monthly program by the members who completed our Survey Form.

Use of the iPad was the next most popular request.

Your Committee will endeavour to provide programs of interest in accord with the preferences of the majority of members.

If any member has expertise in any topic and would like to volunteer to assist with running a session, the Committee would appreciate your offer.

Photo Day & PicnicSaturday 2nd March 2013

Our photo and picnic day will be held at Portarlington.

Please register your intention to attend when you sign in at this meeting.

Final details will be provided the February Newsletter and at the February Meeting.

Annual Membership for 2013Memberships are due on 1st January.

Full Member $40.00; Couples $70.00; Remote Members $25.00 ; Student Members $25.00.

Payment can be made at our meeting, Or By mail to the Treasurer, 25 Catalina Cres., Clifton Springs, 3222, Or Through PayPal on our website.

BMUG News December 11, 2012 2

In The End The Solution Was At The Beginning!

By Dick Brown

This is a tale of woe and one that I hope I shall

never have to endure again. The blame I will mainly lay at Apple and Telstra’s doors although at the very end I was a bit slow to spot the final culprit, me, in this saga of slow living in the digital world.

To start at the beginning, that is the end of September, we had reasonable internet connection speeds and had Lion OSX 10.7.8 running on an iMac, a MacBook Pro and a Mac mini. Then I decided to upgrade the iMac to Mountain Lion. This took much longer to download than expected, about 24 Hours, but it installed and seemed to work fine. Emboldened I thought I’d upgrade the MacBook as well. This never happened as the download continually ‘timed out’.

At this stage those in the know will be saying why didn’t he make an installer disk when he did the first download and save all this time and messing around? I forgot to and since you have to do this after you’ve downloaded Mountain Lion and before you click on the ‘install’ button, I’d missed my chance. At this stage I was more concerned as to why I couldn’t complete the download.

Then ‘BING’ it came to me I must have gone over my 12GB download allowance and been slowed to dial-up speed. A visit to ‘My Bigpond’ confirmed this. Our usage from the 15th September, we’d watched several programmes on iView and the hefty 4.8GB Mountain Lion download had taken us over the limit. While on our Bigpond account page I noticed an announcement that we could upgrade to ADSL2+ in our area, but the next time I visited the site the announcement did not appear, so I rang Bigpond and explained our predicament. The Telstra employee I spoke to said to get round the slowing problem why didn’t I change to a 50GB plan for the

same monthly charge. This would involve a change of plan but remain on the same contract, so no delay in implementation. This would be standard ADSL not ADSL2+.

So with a great big 50GB of downloads now available I set off to upgrade the MacBook to Mountain Lion. This began alright, but then slowed again and timed out as previously. Another phone call to Telstra brought forth the amazing news that we’d gone over the download limit again! How, I asked could I have possibly used 50GB in 2-3 days. To my stunned brain it was explained that I didn’t have 50GB only 18GB. This was because we were approximately half way through our billing period and were only allowed a pro-rata download allowance of 18GB on the new plan. This of course included the downloading I’d already done in this Billing Period, about 15GB and this plus my latest attempt to download Mountain Lion had again taken us into the red and we were slowed to dial-up speed until 14th October. While I can see their logic to this, even if it’s slightly harsh and not very customer friendly, I would have appreciated being told the workings of the plan swop and what this meant to the download allowance until the end of the billing period. So we waited patiently until 15th October.

When we opened Safari on the 15th October great disappointment, our Home Page would not even open, email didn’t come in and iCloud updates didn’t appear in iCal. By now you can imagine the speed I went to the phone and called Telstra. Great confusion and being told several times there was nothing wrong with our connection and the plan swop had gone through with no problem, did not help my blood pressure. We were told a 2nd Level Technician would get in touch and solve the problem. This did happen on a Tuesday morning while Green Apples were gathered at our house, so Martina was dragged into the swamp that Bigpond had become. The 2nd level technician went through exactly the same procedures the 1st level technicians went through and he ended up by saying there was nothing wrong

with our line and it must be a modem problem. He even had the gall to send me a phone message to say the problem had been ‘Resolved’.

Our modem, a Speedtouch, was at least 7 years old so could possibly be at fault. We toddled off to the Good Guys and Harvey Norman and looked at a Netgear modem. Harvey had them on offer at $98.00 instead of $138.00 so we invested in one. Dashed home connected up, just the same!!! I rang Netgear and a very clear and competent Operator took me through a complete set up of the modem.

By now the phone called Telstra as soon as I picked up the handset and the upshot was a technician would actually come and visit us. Peter duly arrived a few days later and was astounded at the slow speed we were experiencing. An interesting bit of info came to light here. When he tested our line it is capable of downloading 7GB/sec and we were experiencing between 0-15kb/s.

Why? It seems the line may well be capable but it all depends on the signal that’s sent down it. So off Peter went to the exchange, pulled our plug out of one port and put it in another port. Immediately we had the correct download speed! I mentioned to Peter we might be interested in ADSL2+. We received a phone call from Telstra in Queensland offering us ADSL2+, 50GB downloads and for the same price as our original package, we took it.

With renewed enthusiasm I downloaded Mountain Lion onto the MacBook, took no time at all and worked perfectly. I re-sited the new modem to a position more central in the house to distribute the signal more evenly.

Then Safari on the iMac began to play

BMUG News December 11, 2012 3

JANUARY 17, 2012Sound Of Todayoften claiming not to be connected to the internet. This was despite the wi-fi signal strength indicator in the top menu bar showing a full four bars in it’s fan icon. Each time we turned on the iMac we had to re-set the modem by turning it off and on before the iMac would recognise it. The MacBook and Mac mini both connected straight away after being turned on and worked with commendable speed. I went through Network Preferences in System Preferences on all three computers to see if the iMac was different, no it wasn’t, all three were the same. I had recently downloaded Adobe Flash Player and thought perhaps that was causing a problem. No improvement after an uninstall. Then while watching over Martina’s shoulder as she tried to do some internet banking I noticed something that happens every time our iMac starts up, a small programme called SnapzProX opens to run in the background. This is a screen grab software programme I’ve had for years on my Mac’s and it’s in the ‘Login Items’ on my computer to open each time the Mac is started up.

Another ’BING’ moment, perhaps this programme was not compatible with Mountain Lion. It had an uninstaller, so off it went and after that everything went back to normal. All the emails thudded onto our digital doormat, the iCal items from the iPod Touch appeared on iCal and Safari worked as though nothing had ever been astray.

The next day was a different tale, the MacBook in the kitchen area worked fine but the iMac in the study was back to not loading web sites and if it eventually logged into a site it performed just as badly as before. The only thing I’d changed was the position of the modem. It used to be near the iMac but I decided that a more central position in the house would benefit all the devices trying to use it. So a place it the kitchen was chosen but for neatness I’d placed in high up out of normal sight lines. So I moved it back lower down and the iMac came back online again with the same operating speed as the MacBook.

In the meantime I’d rung, NetGear, newwave systems and Apple to try and get some inspiration in the problem solving field. All were very helpful but no real answers came forth. The Apple guy did show me how to ‘Ping’ my modem

from the iMac to test the wi-fi. Your Mac will send 10 Pings and will then count and time the returns. The average is between 8-10 pings, our network scored 3. Re-siting the modem lower cured this poor showing.

The only thing still niggling at us was a slight buzz and crackle on the telephone. I’d heard that the filter/splitter boxes you have to have on all phone points can sometimes be faulty and cause this kind of interference. I unplugged all the splitter boxes and all the phones in the house except for the one in the kitchen which was connected to the modem. The internet still worked on all computers but the noise was still there. I reconnected all the phones and splitter boxes.

While having lunch I looked up at my newly positioned modem and it was giving a good impression of a christmas tree. Green, amber and red flashing lights everywhere and to top it all it refused to connect to the internet! Oh for a fairy to sort all this out. It must be a dirty connection I decided. I went round all the phone points, phones and splitter boxes and removed and inserted the plugs three times each to try and ensure a good contact.

Why is it always the last one you try that is the problem? There’s a PhD in this for someone. The original splitter box in the study, where the iMac is, now only has the phone in there connected to it. When I looked at this I found in my frantic haste to get things working, not helped by being under the desk in the half light, I’d put the phone plug into the ADSL socket! Correct plug in correct socket and everything returned to normal. The modem’s lights settled down and ALL COMPUTERS now worked perfectly, not quite the speed of light but fast enough for us.

Looking back over this horrible month several things are worth thinking about. I spoke to ten Telstra phone help lines, twice for over three hours and all the operators did exactly the same test. I got so good at it I was ahead of them. I mentioned this to each operator but they still went through the same procedures. Later as Peter’s tests showed the line may test fine but it’s quality of the signal that goes down it that’s more, or at least, as important. It would appear that the line tests the Telstra phone operators carry out only test the line not the signal.

Remember a simple unplugging and plugging into another port at the exchange solved the whole problem.

Perhaps more important to our future as Mac Users is Apple’s move to a ‘download only’ structure of updating and upgrading our software, even major upgrades such as the OSX system upgrades. This presupposes we all have connection to good, stable and fast downloading networks. If not we will really suffer in the future if we want to keep up with progress. Also if you cannot connect to the internet for whatever reason more than likely you can’t access the Help Menu as this is now web based as well. If the iCloud becomes much more central to the Apple experience, with all files and software on the Cloud not on your computer, then the quality of the net and all it’s connections is even more important to our sanity and peace of mind.

If, or when you upgrade to Mountain Lion, or any other OSX version, it might be prudent to check with Apple to see if any of your non-Apple software is non-compatible. Perhaps SnapzProX was the culprit all along after I’d done the upgrade to Mountain Lion. Finally check all your plugs are in the right sockets.

Try this web site to check your software’s compatibility- http://roaringapps.com

I wish I had!Dick Brown

BMUG News December 11, 2012 4

Member Contribution

Photo handling between Camera, Computer & iDevices By Don BlackmoreThe following is ‘what works for me’ and by no means the only way. It is on a KISS basis and keeps things like iCloud for another day.

1. Home Computer• Can be either a desktop or laptop.• This should be the prime photo

storage, receiving photos from wherever, eg., regular camera, email, USB stick, iPod, iPhone, iPad.

• Use iPhoto to receive, catalogue, edit and share photos.

• Image Capture is another useful Application on your Mac to aid moving and deleting photos.

• Use Time Machine to backup to t w o e x t e r n a l h a r d d r i v e s , alternating both backup to these drives and offsite storage.

2. Regular Camera:• Ignore the tiny capacity SD card

usually supplied with a camera and buy some gigabyte sized cards. A 4GB SD card holds typically at least 1000 photos and costs $8.

• At first sensible opportunity after taking photos, import these into iPhoto in your Home Computer using the USB connection. iPhoto will recognise photos that have not yet been imported, allow a choice of which ones to import and asks if you want to delete the imported photos from the camera.

• Don’t delete photos from an SD card until they are in both your Home Computer and safely backed up.

3. Photos taken on I-Devices-ie iPod, iPhone and iPad

• These will be stored on the Camera Roll in Albums on the device.

• Directly connect the device to the H o m e C o m p u t e r v i a U S B connection, import photos to iPhoto and handle exactly as outlined for a regular camera above.

4. Sharing Events and Albums on Your Home Computer with I-Devices.

• The iPad in particular is a great device to have photos for easy viewing.

• Just as iTunes is the App used to sync contacts, calendars, music etc between your home computer and your i-devices, iTunes will copy photos into your i-device. Select required Albums and Events by ticking them in iTunes.

5. iPad/Camera Connection • A t t i m e s wh e n yo u r h o m e

computer is not nearby, eg on holidays, it is very convenient to view your photos on an iPad. A $35 Apple iPad/camera connection kit is available to enable this.

• When the camera and iPad are connected, thumbnails of all photos on the camera SD card show up in the iPad Photos App under Camera. Select the photos you wish to copy to the iPad, import and/or delete as required.

• Each import is stored as an Event and also in Albums as Last Import and All Imported.

• Copying to the iPad also acts as a backup in case an SD card is lost. These photos will be in the iPad’s All Imported Album and can be imported into the Home Computer using iPhoto or Image Capture.

• When the Home Computer is available, to get the photos finally safely home the cleanest way is to use direct import from the camera SD card as in Section 2 above. The iPad can then be cleaned up by deleting the All Imported Album via iPhoto or Image Capture and catalogued Events and Albums synced to the iPad as in Section 4 above.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet 5BMUG News December 11, 2012 5

T e a c h Y o u r s e l f V I S UA L LY O S X Mountain Lion

A p p l e ' s n e w M a c O S X Mountain Lion is impressive, with features and functions t h a t w i l l b e familiar to Mac users from their

i P h o n e s a n d iPads. Using step-by-step instructions and ful l -colour screenshots or illustrations on virtually every page -the hallmark of the practical Teach Yourself VISUALLY series.

This book clearly shows you how to accomplish tasks, rather than burying you with paragraphs of text.

• Helps Mac OS X Mountain Lion users get up to speed quickly on all the features of this new Mac operating system, such as Game Center, Messages, and Notifications

• Teaches practical techniques using easy-to-follow, step-by-step visuals and brief explanations

• Features full-colour screenshots or illustrations on almost every page

• Also covers how to customise your Mac, enjoy your digital media, and use peripherals, as well as how to continue to get the most out of Mission Control and the App Store

This 352 page book is the perfect guide for visual learners who want to quickly tame Apple's new Mac OS X Mountain Lion. Book Retail Price $37.95

OS X Mountain Lion Bible

This 864 page book covers all t he exc i t i ng features of OS X Mountain Lion, including Game Center, Messages, and

Notifications. It covers all the basics and then delves deep into professional and higher-end topics, making it the one book you need to succeed with Mac OS X.

• Inc ludes t ips, t r icks, and advanced information for those ready to step up to the next level with their Macs

• With both basic coverage and more in-depth explorations of professional and advanced features, this book is ideal for both Mac newcomers and veterans who want to master all the functionality of the new system

Mac OS X Bible is the comprehensive resource on using the newest version of Mac OS X and taking full advantage of its power. Book Retail Price $47.95

OS X Mountain Lion Portable Genius

This 448 Page book jumps right into the c o o l e s t n e w M a c O S X features l i ke Game Center, Messages, and

Notification. From customising to using multimedia to syncing your Mac to other devices, this book saves you time and hassle, avoids fluff, and covers what you want to know most.

• This new addition to the Portable Genius series of books helps you get the very most out of your Apple lifestyle

• Provides essential facts, tips, techniques, and shortcuts

• Helps you jump right into cool new Mac OX X features, such as Game Center, Messages, and Notification

• Covers Mac OS X and Mac computer basics, including customising your computer and workspace, troubleshooting and maintaining your Mac, browsing and manipulating images and multimedia, listening to music and Podcasts, and more

• Explains how to work with and connect peripherals, copy music to an iPod, add a printer, and sync a Mac to other devices

Book Retail Price $37.95

BMUG News December 11, 2012 6

Books from Wiley Publishers

These Books available from Wiley Publishers for a limited time, at a 30% discount plus $7.50 postage. Promo Code: OSX12 Telephone Customer Service: 1800 777 474 OR Use Web Site: www.wiley.com Some discounted copies available at this meeting only.

NYHK Shield for iPad

by

If you are looking for an iPad case that has a slim profile but still gives you adequate front to back protection then the Lioncase NYHK Folio Shield should suit your requirements.

Upon opening up the Lioncase you see the slim back piece of the case that is just a simple polyurethane plastic that ensures the case stays extremely slim while still being fairly strong in its construction. The iPad fits perfectly into the back cover of the case with the ease of a snap. All of the cutouts around the case align up correctly with the buttons and ports. Like all good foldout stands, the NYHK Shield is easy to set into place. Your iPad comes awake when the cover opens, ready for it to be folded into a horizontal typing mode stand. It uses sturdy magnets to keep the cover securely folded for worry-free video viewing.

This cover is compatible with iPad2 and the new 4th generation iPad.The leather exterior is easy to grip and gives the impression that it will last for the long term. The hard shell back appears solid enough to prevent damage from everyday accidents and drops.The felt interior provides ample protection for the screen. Also included is a screen protector and cleaning cloth, which is a nice touch. ConclusionIf you like the style of this front to back case, you will love the light weight, the quality and protection that it offers.The NYHK, from Lioncase.com is available for $42.95 plus postage.

GroovBoard for iPad:

A clever and practical lapdesk

This hardwood, iPad-friendly lapdesk accommodates an iPad (in several orientations), an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and a stylus, all while looking good.

The GroovBoard is available in six hardwoods: alder, apple, ash, cherry, maple, oak, plum and walnut. The dimensions are 11.8 x 9 x 0.95 inches,

and it weighs less than 1 Kg.

The removable extender is held in place by four magnets and two posts and snaps on and off easily.

There are three main ways to use the GroovBoard with your iPad.

The first is as a simple stand.

Place your iPad in the groove towards the front. You will find that it's held at a nice angle for touching and tapping. You can type in this orientation.

Secondly, the groove at the back of the GroovBoard holds it at a less sharp angle and frees up the front groove to hold an Apple Bluetooth keyboard, which it accommodates perfectly.The k e y b o a r d ' s r o u n d e d b a t t e r y compartment fits perfectly into the frontmost groove and the rest of it sits nicely on the extender. It's at home on a d e s k o r y o u r l a p i n t h i s configuration.

Finally, you can tip the GroovBoard up on its end and find a third groove at the very top of the device. Put the iPad in there if you are slouching back with your knees up. It is quite comfortable resting against your thighs, and you can remove the extender to find the best viewing angle.

There are four stylus slots. in total, two on each side and the GroovBoard holds several models of stylus.

Conclusion:

The GroovBoard is a great device. A lot of thought obviously went into its design and construction. The fact that it can accommodate the iPad in a variety of ways, hold a stylus for a left or right hander and secure an Apple keyboard so well, makes it a very useful lapdesk/stand. It also looks good.

Prices vary between US$89 and $119.

http://groovboard.co/

BMUG News December 11, 2012 7

Photo management with the iPadA member reports that she bought an iPad last year to use primarily when traveling, for email, and particularly to manage photos taken on her travels. She has found the process confusing and has requested information on how to simplify this process.

Answer:This process can appear to be daunting and confusing. The following are the basics on managing photos, with your iPad. When you attach the iPad Connector

Kit adapter to the iPad (Costs $35.00) and then import photos, t h o s e p h o t o s a r e imported into two

albums-“Last Import” and “All Imported”.You don’t have the option to import them into a different album on import. However, you can create a new album and then copy the images to that album.To do that, within the Photos app tap the Albums tab, tap the Edit button in the top-right corner of the iPad’s screen, and then tap the New Album button in the top-left corner. Name the album and tap Save. In the resulting screen you see Add Photos to name of album and by default, all the photo events currently on your iPad (you also have the option to choose Albums, Photo Stream, and Photos). Tap an event or album and you see all the images within it. You can select them all by tapping Select All Photos

or tap individual images to select each one. When you are happy with your selection, tap Done and the images are copied into your new album.To later add or remove images from the album, tap the album to open it, tap the Share button in the top-right corner, and in the Select Photos screen tap Add Photos to go through a process similar to the one outlined above or tap on the images you want to delete and then tap Remove. If you would like to copy images between albums, tap that same Share button, select the images you want to copy, tap the Copy button, move to a different album and open it, tap on an empty area within that album, and tap Paste. The images will now also appear in that album as well as remain in the original album.As you will have noticed from the above description, you can do most of what you might want to do, however it is not an entirely natural process.

You may find it easier to use Linkus Photo Manager Pro which is available from the App Store for $2.99.It provides features such as the ability to move rather than simply copy images, lets you password protect albums, provides the opportunity to transfer files via FTP or view and download images from a web browser. It includes a Favourites feature for marking and viewing your images and lets you rate your images from one to five stars. http://www.linkusnow.com/photomanager/ Peter Baldwin

A Guided Tour of the iPadThe iPad is a wonderful device with many great uses, but it can be confusing for the new user. If you have never used a tablet computer or smartphone before, you might find yourself a little intimidated after taking it out of the box. Common questions include "How do I plug the iPad in?" and "How do I connect it to my computer?"

To help answer some of these questions, Daniel Nations of About.com Guide, in the following article, takes a look at what comes with the iPad. In addition to the device itself, the box contains a small insert with a diagram of the device and a quick explanation of how to set it up for first time use. The box also contains a 30-pin cable and an AC adapter.

Click on the link below to find out more about what you can do with your iPad.

http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad-Tutorials/ss/iPad-Lessons.htm

BMUG News December 11, 2012 8

Garage Band SIG ReportTwo members were fortunate to have a two-plus hours  introduction to the fascinating world of Garage Band.  This App is one of the iconic programs that have made Apple such a superior computer and learning tool.SIG Tutor Brian Rigg led Carol and Greg through the rudiments of this truly wonderful music making program. B o t h p a r t i c i p a n t s already had a fine grasp of music but were amazed at the ease, intuitive logic and pure pleasure it opened up.   Making music could never be easier.H o w e v e r, a l a r g e tutorial class may find it rather intimidating. The huge range of opt ions to explore would be a nightmare for any one wishing to t u t o r o n t h e application. F o r t u n a t e l y t h e Tutorials are thorough and easy to use, so the a p p ro a c h t h ro u g h BMUG may be to 'teach yourself' after one or two initial, small group introductions.Thank you very much, Brian. Greg Melville

How to transfer video from DVD to iMovie to FacebookA member has raised the following problem which is causing him some concern.All I want to do is take homemade video of my granddaughter’s school concert from a DVD, move it into iMovie, edit clips, and post the clips on Facebook. How do I do that?Answer:

The first step is to extract video from your DVD. The tool I use is the free App Handbrake. This tool was designed to extract and

convert video from DVDs.Once you’ve downloaded your copy, launch it, and in the navigation sheet that appears, select the DVD, choose the VIDEO_TS folder, and click on Open. Handbrake will scan the DVD and seek out the main title. If there’s just the one title, you’re in business. If not, click on the Title pop-up menu and choose that main title.In the Presets pane choose the Apple TV 2 preset and click the Start button. By default Handbrake will save the resulting H.264 movie to your Mac’s desktop.Extract your video with Handbrake

Now launch iMovie and create a new project (File>New Project). From the File menu choose Import>Movies. If the HD Import Setting window appears, choose the option to import the Full, Original Size movie and click OK.In the sheet that appears, navigate to the movie you just ripped with Handbrake and click Import. iMovie will start processing and eventually import the clip, either into

an existing Event or a new Event, if you have chosen that option.Once it is in iMovie you can commence your editing and create clips of your choice. Once you are satisfied with your work, choose Share> Facebook, enter your Facebook login information, choose the export resolution of your clip, click Next, and upload your clip. Peter Baldwin

How to change Sidebar Icon sizesThis question was recently raised by a member.Answer:In Mountain Lion you can easily change the size of the icons (and thus the text also) in the Finder’s Sidebar and also in Mail’s Sidebar. All you have to do is go to System Preferences - General and about halfway down the window you’ll see “Sidebar icon size”. You have your choice of Small, Medium or Large. The change in the Finder also changes Mail! I switched from Medium to Large and found the Sidebar much more readable. Peter Baldwin

The SidebarThe Sidebar pane on left side of every Finder window is an extremely useful tool and time-saver in which to place Icons (actually aliases) of files and folders which you access on a regular basis.The Sidebar is also a handy place to temporarily place Icons of files and folders which you are using for a short time. For example, I now put a folder icon onto the Sidebar when I’m researching a subject and then save files to the Folder Icon. I drag web site files, PDFs and emails directly on to the Sidebar icon instead of hunting for the folder in Finder. When I have finished the research, I just remove the folder’s icon by dragging it out of the Sidebar. The folder isn’t deleted; only the alias is eliminated from the Sidebar. Peter Baldwin

BMUG News December 11, 2012 9

GenealogyBy Carol Wilson - Part 1

I suppose what I enjoy about genealogy is that our forebears were all real flesh-and-blood people, no matter how simple and humble they were - the more so the better, perhaps!  But their legacy contributes t o w h a t a n d w h o w e , t h e i r descendants, are today.  We do well, both personally and as a nation, when we remember our h istory and heritage, and do poorly when we neglect or forget the lessons of history. It is too easy to become puffed up with ideas of the importance or superiority of our own generation compared with the struggles - and achievements - of those who went before us.  We have only continued to build on their foundations.

It is amazing to think that the Egypt ians who bui l t the great pyramids - albeit with some brutal slave labour, no doubt  - did it without all the high tech equipment we have today, but used superior maths and physics principles. Yet for all our "cleverness" today, we still haven't fathomed exactly how they did it.   I often wonder what Captain Cook would have thought when we speak via Skype to relatives on the other side of the world, and can see their faces as well!  Yet how many among us would be brave enough to sail such a tiny ship as his over the horizon, off "the edge of the world" and hope to return safely?   - after an absence of three years.

I suppose genealogy is a personal history of particular families, real people, real lives, maybe none famous, but all important to us in their own, unique way.

Problem with an old model Air Port Express Base Station and OS X Mountain Lion

BMUG News December 11, 2012 10

Question raised with the Editor:

“I have an older AirPort Express Base Station. I recently installed Mountain Lion and found that its version of AirPort Utility does not work with my Base Station. When I try to select the base station I get a message that I need AirPort Utility 5.6. I downloaded that version but when I attempted to install it, Mountain Lion advised me that it is not supported. What do I do?Answer:You are not receiving the correct advice from Mountain Lion. That version of AirPort Utility will run on your Mac (even under Mountain Lion) and work with your Base Station. The problem in this case is the Installer. It is refusing to install this valid utility.The way around the problem is to extract the utility from the installer package.

For this type of problem I use CharlesSoft’s “Pacifist” http://www.charlessoft.com/ (Cost approx. $20). It is an application for Mac OS X that opens up .pkg i n s t a l l e r p a c k a g e s , . d m g d i s k images, .zip, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .pax, and .xar

archives, and more, and lets you install individual files out of them.I ran AirPort Utility 5.6 through Pacifist, located the application, extracted it, and it ran it perfectly on a MacBook, allowing me to configure an old model AirPort Express Base Station. Peter Baldwin

Directly downloading Dropbox filesA member recently raised a problem with Dropbox links. He said:“A friend sent me a link to a movie file they’d like to share with me on Dropbox. The link appears as follows: http:// dl.dropbox.com/u/1234567/test.mov. When I click on the link, Safari launches and the movie starts playing. I’d like to download the file directly but can’t find a way. Do you have any advice?”Answer:There are two ways to solve this- 1. You can click the link, wait for your web browser to start loading the

file, click in the location bar, hold down the Option key, and then press Return. The file will download.

2. Alternatively you can append ?dl=1 to the end of the link, to read http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1234567/test.mov?dl=1. This will force your browser to download rather than preview the file.

Peter Baldwin

A u s t r a l i a ’ s m o b i l e addiction

Australia is succumbing to an addiction... we're hooked to mobile downloads. 

Whether its though Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G, Australians are piling data onto their devices. The Australian Bureau of Statistics found between March and June this year 6,610 TB of data were loaded onto our mobile devices. Based of this, its safe to say that we are growing ever more dependant on our new tools. 

So what are the risks of growing increasingly attached to our smart-phones and gadgets? 

It's a question that today's infographic from OnlineMastersDegree.com attempts to answer. 

Published in the Technology Spectator on 10th October 2012.

Any phone in a storm: Staying connected after Sandy

Click on the link below to read this interesting article. Published in Macworld on 6th November 2012.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2 0 1 3 5 4 4 / a n y - p h o n e - i n - a -storm.html#tk.nl_macwk

How to be an Apple Genius

Gizmodo obtained a copy of Apple’s Genius Training Student Manual. It's a n e x h a u s t i v e m a n u a l f o r understanding customers and making them happy. Seems like psychology training. Also seems to be for all Apple Store employees. Interesting reading before you go to a store. http://gizmodo.com/5938323

Woman buys iPad for $200. Finds out it is just a mirror with Duct Tape on the back

Anytime you think you are scoring a super hot deal on Apple’s latest amazing device, you really should make sure everything is 100% legit before handing over $200 to some shady dude at a petrol station. That’s the lesson Jalonta Freeman learned when she found out the “$800 iPad” she purchased was really just a mirror.Freeman was fueling her car at a gas station when a man pulled up beside her saying he had a bunch of gadgets he was selling cheap. Thinking it would make a great Christmas present, Jalonta decided to purchase the man’s “brand new” iPad that he claimed was worth $800. He sold it to Freeman for $200 and quickly drove away.Once Freeman opened the package she discovered her iPad was really just a mirror that had been duck-taped in the back and stenciled with an Apple Logo. She said that she felt stupid and that it felt like she had just been

robbed, which she kind of was, but she learned a valuable  lesson that you should always make sure you know exactly what you’re purchasing from anyone selling second-hand tech goods.

My Blackber r y is not working! - The One Ronnie Preview - BBC One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI&sns=em

ipad 2 vs iPad 3 vs iPad 4: Which is the best buy? A Comparison of the iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPad 4

By Daniel Nations:

http://ipad.about.com/od/Tablet_Computers_eReaders/a/iPad-2-Vs-iPad-3-Which-Is-The-Better-Buy.htm?nl=1

Apple’s major new version of iTunes has just been released, but not with the feature that can h e l p f e n d o f f competitors.

Read article below.

h t t p : / / n e w s . c n e t . c o m /8301-13579_3-57552843-37/apple-turns-itunes-up-to-11-software-at-a-crossroads/?tag=nl.e798&s_cid=e798

BMUG News December 11, 2012 11

BMUG News December 11, 2012 12

For Sale:As new Apple 27-inch iMac - 2.7GHz - OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

August 2011 MODEL!

This iMac is in excellent condition and is covered by Apple Extended Care Protect ion Plan (valued at $268) until August 10th 2014.

This iMac has all of the latest programs installed so there is no need for you to spend any more money!

The specs are as follows:

2.7Ghz Intel Quad Core i5 CPU; 4GB DDR RAM; 2560 x 1440 LED Display; 1TB Hard Drive; AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 512MB of GDDR5 SDRAM; Wireless Keyboard & Mouse; 2 Thunderbolt ports; 1 Firewire 800; 4 USB 2.0; Ethernet; Headphone; Mic, Wireless N; Apple Care Protection Plan valid to August 10th, 2014. It comes with its Original Packaging.

For more details contact Peter on 52434355.

“Passwords are like underwear”

Passwords are like underwear. Change yours often.

Passwords are like underwear. Don’t share them with friends.

Passwords are like underwear. The longer, the better.

Passwords are like underwear. Be mysterious.

Passwords are like underwear. Don’t leave yours lying around.

EditorialWelcome to the final edition of BMUG News for 2012.It is pleasing to me to note that this issue contains quite a few c o n t r i bu t i o n s f ro m members. Keep up the good work.This month’s meeting will be more celebratory than most, given the Christmas Season. You will have a chance to mingle more and enjoy the social atmosphere, whilst partaking of some nibbles and drinks. The next issue of this N e w s l e t t e r w i l l b e published in February in time for our meeting on Tuesday 12th February 2013.I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and look forward to your contributions in the coming Year.

Peter Baldwin peterbaldwin@bellarine

New Members Welcome

BMUG News December 11, 2012 13

The BMUG Assist Program is available to all members. We will attempt to resolve your urgent Mac problems if we can, or alternatively give you advice about where to seek further assistance.Peter Oakley is available to take your call on 0409 094 655.

Margaret Evans is available to advise members new to Macs. Email Margaret with your query and include your Telephone Number. margaretevans@bellarinemac.org.au

Alternatively you could make a booking for assistance by using the Form on the website or by contacting Peter Oakley using the email link. Make a Booking with Peter Oakley...

Committee Members (Pink Tags) are available during the coffee break for assistance.In many cases you may find a solution to your problem by inserting your question in Google. It is amazing what information you will find.

We welcome all Apple/Mac Users. What are you waiting for?Visit our Website for Membership Details www.bellarinemac.org.au

iPad 2 the missing manual By J.D. Biersdorfer

This Missing Manual is a great book for iPad users looking for an overall reference or those that want to fill in some of their knowledge gaps and learn something new that they may have missed in their tinkering with the tablet. This manual covers the first 3 versions of the iPad.One discounted book is available for $15.00.

The following Library Books are still available for purchase:• iPhoto’08-The Missing Manual;

• iMovie’08 & iDVD-The Missing Manual;• Mac OS X Snow Leopard-The Missing Manual;This is your last opportunity to obtain one of these books for $5. There are also some printed Help files which are free. To reserve a copy email Editor: peterbaldwin@bellarinemac.org.au