Author Archive

Is MobileMe Worth the Money?

by Claire J Rottenberg
CJRTOOLS ebooks

If you’re not a subscriber to Apple’s online service, MobileMe, you might be wondering if the service would be right for you. Or maybe you are a subscriber and you’re not sure if you should renew your subscription. In this article, I briefly describe the main MobileMe services so you can decide if the service is worth the cost.

Syncing Feature

Apple has emphasized the syncing capabilities of MobileMe as the central element of the service. The syncing feature of MobileMe is easy to use and can be set to sync your computers and iPhone or iPod Touch to the online MobileMe application. You can sync your email accounts and messages, Address Book contacts, Safari bookmarks, and iCal calendars. Some third party applications may also let you sync data from them. Syncing can be automatic so that every time you make a change on your computer, the change will be automatically synced with the online MobileMe service or, if you prefer, you can manually sync your data by accessing an option from the Mac OS X menu bar. Although syncing does not work quite as quickly or smoothly as Apple first stated it would, it does work well for most setups.

Email Service

The MobileMe package includes an excellent IMAP email service. Although the new email account name (yourname@me.com) is not pleasing to all users, the service has advantages over other email services. I have several email accounts, including a Gmail account, and the MobileMe email service uses spam filtering that is far superior to that of other accounts. Unlike some other accounts that place all spam in a junk mailbox, MobileMe filters out the spam before it ever reaches your mailbox so very little junk mail actually gets to you.

In addition to excellent spam filtering, the MobileMe email service provides you with an enormous amount of storage space so you can keep all of your email messages in one account. Also, since the account is an IMAP account, you can keep your online and offline mailboxes always in sync.

Online Storage

Another benefit of MobileMe is the 20 GB of online storage space that comes with the service. Because your MobileMe iDisk can be mounted on the desktop, you can add photos, music files, videos, and other files to the iDisk just as you would to any hard drive. In addition, the new online interface has an upload option that lets you add files to your iDisk from any computer. Now, with MobileMe, you can have a safe, offsite location for storing your important data.

Web Hosting

A MobileMe account has one more useful feature – a web hosting service with huge bandwidth limits (200 GB per month). Although Apple only advertises its hosting service in combination with Web Galleries and iWeb, you can, in fact, use any web design or development application with MobileMe. Publishing a website to your MobileMe account can be done from within some applications, such as RapidWeaver, or you can simply drag a website folder to either the Sites or Web folder on your iDisk to create an instant, live website. MobileMe’s web hosting service doesn’t provide all of the special features of most dedicated web hosting services, but it is more than adequate for many users’ needs. And the 20 GB of storage space plus the 200 GB of monthly bandwidth make it perfect for photo album sites that you might want to share with your friends or with the world.

Conclusion

Is MobileMe worth the money? If all you want is a syncing program or an email service or a web hosting service, MobileMe is probably not worth the expense. But, if you want or need two or more of the services provided, MobileMe is a good value. For $99 a year, you get the ability to sync data on all of your computers and your iPhone or iPod Touch, a good email service with excellent spam filtering, an easy-to-use hosting service, and enough offsite storage for your email, websites and important data.

* Note – Since MobileMe is a new service, it still has some bugs in it that Apple is working hard to resolve. For example, while working on this article, my email account on MobileMe became inaccessible for a short period of time. Hopefully, Apple will work out the bugs soon and MobileMe will be the smooth working service Apple has promised users.

Claire J Rottenberg is the author of Easy Guides to Mac OS X software (Safari, Mail, System Preferences, TextEdit) and Course Books on Mac OS X 10.5, iPhoto ’08, iTunes, and Mac OS X 10.4. More information on her books is available on the CJRTOOLS ebooks website (www.cjrtools.com/ebooks).

Mac OS X LEOPARD
ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE For Dummies

by Susan McLane, Kachemacs

Author: Mark L. Chambers
Publisher: Wiley
Publisher URL: www.wiley.com
List Price: $29.99

This reference book is quite large (713) pages and took me a while to work through. I recently bought a new IMAC which came with Leopard 10.a5. Before that I had an older IMAC with Tiger OS X.4 so that is why I chose to review it.

The book is divided into 5 sections. As I am not an expert user on my MAC, I found Book 1, 11, and V the most useful for me. I’m sure as I progress Book V1 and V11 will become more of a resource. What I use the most on my computer is iTunes and iPhoto so those parts of Book 111 I know. The other parts may prove to be a good reference in the future.

The best aspects of the book for me (as I would guess for many) are the short Warnings and Tips that appear frequently throughout the book. They are a great time saver but more important a great , “Wow, I didn’t know that!” They have helped me a lot.

Although Book 1 was an introduction to OS X, I found several useful items in it such as Chap. 5: Fun with Photo Booth and Front Row. I didn’t have these items on my other computer and hadn’t used them on this computer until I received this book. I found the explanations for how to use the camera and remote control to be succinct and clear. I particularly like the graphs and diagrams used. Also, Chapter 7: The Joys of Maintenance was helpful to me. I learned how to partition my hard drive and some good tips on uninstalling applications.

In Book 11, I found Chapter 3 an excellent reference for me. It provided a quite complete overview of the system preferences as well and other preferences, and how to change them and more important, why. It also discussed basic security for your machine.

Book V has some very useful technical information such as setting up Apple Talk, keeping your Wireless Network Secure, and ways of sharing your internet connection. The best part for me is all the illustrations. I am a visual learner so the drawings in this section were invaluable in helping me understand all the technical jargon.

There were a few aspects of this reference book I didn’t like. I’m not familiar with other “Dummy” guides so maybe it’s just me but I found the incessant humor tiring. I would be reading, thinking I was getting some information and it was a paragraph of nonsense supposed to be funny. I was really annoyed that I had spent time reading it. It’s okay once in a while but why so much?

Also, often the book has tried to jam so much into it that it seems to lack detail in some of its descriptions. It would have been nice if it had listed the internet email sites such as Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail as being able to be used with the Apple Mail program. Also, I’ve had several problems with the Keychain application that that chapter doesn’t address. And finally there is very little discussion of the Time Machine.

Over all, however, this is a good reference book and I would recommend it to others with a new Mac.

The following is the text of an e-mail I received from Claire of CJRTOOLS:

Hi,

In September, I’m offering a free online course for user group members on “Getting the Most from MobileMe.” The course will begin on September 1st and registration will be limited to the first 20 people who email me with their name, email address and name of their Mac user group. Please pass on the information to your group’s members with the following description of the course. Thank you.

“Getting the Most from MobileMe”
This course is designed for people who want to learn how to use many of the features of MobileMe, including syncing, web hosting and data storage. The course will begin on September 1st and there will be three weeks of lessons. The course will be restricted to the first 20 people who email me at cjrebooks@mac.com with their name, email address and name of Mac user group. Please use the subject heading of “Free MobileMe course.”

Claire

Claire Rottenberg
CJRTOOLS ebooks
www.cjrtools.com

I am looking for anyone willing to sell their old iPhone. I’m in the market for the older model for someone. I’d rather find one locally from a real person than on eBay. If anybody knows of someone who has one for sale, let me know through the comments on the blog, or drop me an e-mail or call. Any reasonable offer will be considered. Thanks!

Diane

I just got a call from a potential member who saw an ad in the Tribune about our club. It seems they have posted our ad this month. This a desperate message to all members and potential members that there will NOT be a August meeting. We will resume in September, the day after Labor Day. Please spread the word.

I did. The lines at AT&T (otherwise known as iQueues) in some areas lasted a week. Thanks to my husband who did most of the waiting while I was at work, I have a shiny white iPhone. It did take all morning, even in Homer.

I haven’t had a cell phone in years. Until now, I have carried an old school Palm with my personal information in it. It’s been interesting changing over all my data and habits.

One piece of information I have always carried with me includes a “In case of emergency” contact. Everyone should have this information, on a wallet card, on speed dial, etc. The problem with the iPhone is that it stores SO much information, any wise user will have the lock with passcode activated. Without access to the address book or speed dial, a rescuer will not be able to contact the next of kin using this method.

I called upon the expertise of Microsoft. We know they are very familiar with “fatal errors.” I figured if I am ever involved in a “fatal error” involving my earthly body, I should want the best of help. Besides, nothing screams “EMERGENCY!” like a good ol’ blue screen.

I took a screenshot of my PC server’s icon in Coverflow on my Mac, then doctored it with the necessary text. I then loaded it on my phone as wallpaper. If anyone picks up my phone, this image (without the number smudged out) will show on my locked iPhone screen. My husband can then be contacted.

This will also work on the chance that my phone is lost. If an honest individual finds it, that person can call my husband and make arrangements to return the phone.

I am attaching a link to the template on the group iDisk (instructions) to this post so that the Kachemacs can use it on their iPhones by entering their information accordingly. GraphicConverter is great for applying text to photos.

Hello, all!

I got word of a few older macs for sale. Let me know if you want to offer this guy anything for a perfectly usable Mac, either for kids, or for archiving, or whatever. Here’s what he said:

In particular are two blue and whites with upgraded processors that I just took out of service as servers. I also have an original Imac and a couple of emacs. I will look at any offer. I just hate to toss perfectly good Macs.

Please let me know if you have any interest.
Thanks!
Chuck
Microcom
907-264-0004

iPhone Fully Loaded

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Author: Andy Ihnatko
Publisher: Wiley
Publisher URL: www.wiley.com
List Price: $19.99

Pros: Small yet chock full of information, reads like a novel
Cons: Title doesn’t reflect the vast amount of information within, geared for more advanced users.

I don’t have an iPhone. I don’t even have a cell phone. Am I that desperate for reviewers that I would review a manual for something I don’t have? It’s like reading the Chilton’s guide to the Mini Cooper you’ve always wanted…

I found I don’t really even need an iPhone to enjoy this book. In fact I got heaps of information having nothing to do with iPhones. This book would more aptly named “Media management for computer users on the go with lots of sneaky tricks to get more for your internet connection and mobile device. And then some.” I’m sure the editors would nix that title quite quickly, however.

This volume may be diminutive, but it is information dense. It is not so much instructions on how to use an iPhone, but how to use resources available on the internet and in third party software to enhance the mobile experience. An interesting feature is that it is equally Mac and Windows friendly. In fact, I didn’t detect any of the usual bias a Mac user usually displays when writing about PCs. Way to go!

The author is a well known columnist and freelance writer on any topic having to do with Mac. Andy Ihnatko has a distinctive writing style and wry sense of humor. I suppose his manner may not be received well by everyone, but I found his use of sarcasm and hyperbole rather refreshing compared to other technical manuals. He does interject quite a bit of irrelevant musings, much like a TV episode of SCRUBS, but his manner is entertaining. I found the book rather gripping, but not necessarily to the point of reading under the covers with a flashlight until 4AM.

This book is really not the ideal choice for the novice internet user. Andy’s (legal) methods of manipulating the internet to do his bidding are of a more advanced nature. An intermediate guide to the internet might be helpful for some before tackling this book.

Level: from 1-10, 10 being most advanced, I’d rank it 7.

Usefulness: 5
Presentation: 5 (many pretty pictures)
Expertise of author: 5
Indexing: 4 (not necessarily a book used to “look up” things. It’s a read-through book)
Accuracy: 4 (with the new iPhone and SDK the author needs to put out a second edition)

Total: 5. Good job!

This book has helped me decide to wait in line for the new iPhone on July 11. Everyone I know will gasp in absolute shock that I actually will own a cell phone. I realize that there is so much more to having an iPhone than calling people. And no, I’m not giving anyone my number.

YummySoup!

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Distributor: Hungry Seacow
Distributor URL: www.hungryseacow.com
Price: $20, download

Pros: Solid and versatile database, excellent importation features, simple interface.
Cons: No scaling mechanism, no way to record nutritional information, some popular recipe sites not supported in the auto population.

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach…”
So they say. I’m thinking there is more to it than that, but satisfying the stomach thing doesn’t hurt. I strive to be a good cook. Because I’m also a geek, I use the internet to help me find new and unusual recipes to keep my husband happy. I also do well for myself in cleaning out the fridge gracefully.

But what if that husband of mine wants to reciprocate? How do I help him create my signature recipes with the least amount of effort? Give him YummySoup!, of course!

Recipe maintenance seems to be one of the more popular applications of the Macintosh computer. Many Mac users I know are very into their food. I remember when HyperCard stacks were the latest in recipe management. YummySoup! far surpasses the flexibility the defunct HyperCard system in recipe management.

When I was a teenager, my Mom gave me a stack of index cards and told me to copy all her recipes for my favorite foods, so that I could recreate my favorite foods when on my own. I still have those cards, stained and smeared. I was looking for a better way to preserve and redistribute those favorites without the soy sauce splotches.

YummySoup! to the rescue! With the easy to use form based entry screen, I hand typed all the handwritten recipes into the interface. An autocomplete feature which is configurable to your favorite ingredients makes it easy. Now I can search them by genre, rate them, and publish them to paper with my printer or create an e-mail in one step so my friends can enjoy them. I even have field to enter a yummy photo! If you’re like me and only go to the store when I HAVE to, YummySoup! can make your shopping list for you. I can even keep track of my liquors and wines to go with my meals.
But what if I want to make a foray into a new culinary adventure? Dear Mom doesn’t have all the answers. YummySoup! can help me in a number of ways. YummySoup! has an online database of users’ favorites. They all appear right in my YummySoup! If I still can’t find what I want, I can go to certain websites and do a one-step import of recipes! If the recipe site is one that is not supported by YummySoup!, one can do a step by step select and import. It’s still easier than copy/paste or hand typing. If I am very proud of one of my creations, I can publish a recipe to the YummySoup! database and become famous with other users for my delicious yummy soup.

Once you have your database in order, there are a number of ways the recipes can be sorted. There is an option to select already prepared items, and a rating system similar to iTunes. Just like Mail, you have Smart Folder sorts. These are features which are desirable in any database system, and YummySoup! takes these into consideration.

I would like to see the developer work on some other features to round out the delivery of YummySoup! What if you want to have a dinner party, and all your recipes are for two? Most of us can do calculations, I hope, but it would really be nice if YummySoup! could provide that service. The developer has informed me that this is an imminent enhancement. For those dieters out there, it would be great to be able to enter nutrition information. This could be a feature which has fields that could be populated from info created outside YummySoup!, but for a major enhancement I’d love to see communication with online nutrition databases to compile this info. HungrySeacow, you’ve got your work cut out for you with that one!

I found YummySoup! very easy to install and go. There was an issue with data entry and tab delineations when I started, but developer Ken Humbard swiftly corrected those issues.

In summary:
Concept: 4 (recipe management is nothing new)
Ease of installation: 5 (effortless)
Delivery: 4 (consider the enhancements to a great program)
Efficiency: 5 (thanks to auto-import and the fix with the data entry)
Stability: 4 (Very few lockup/crashes)
Support: 5
Potential: 5 (software is frequently updated, showing the developer’s dedication)

Overall, this is a 4.6. HungrySeacow is dedicated to listening to users and improving the software. There are so many recipe programs for Mac out there, but for the price of $20 compares to the features offered, I’m finding YummySoup! to be the best value. From my experience with shareware, response time is just a bit slower than average, but I always get helpful answers which are worth the wait. Bon Appetit!

GraphicConverter

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Distributor: Lemkesoft
Distributor URL: http://www.lemkesoft.com
Distributor Phone: +49 5171 72202 (English)
Price: $34.95 download, $44.95 box copy

Pros: Great personal software support, longevity, paid upgrades few and far between.
Cons: Utility has faded with several competitors, dated interface, has become a niche application.

I was a poor college student once. I remember being broke and being forced to subsist on popcorn and peanut butter sandwiches. It filled the hole, did the trick, and gave me an opportunity to fantasize upon the fanciest of cuisine. Now that I have the resources to have gourmet meals any time, I look back at college cuisine fondly. Every once in a while I just have to have my old favorite comfort food.

GraphicConverter has been around for a LONG time. It’s inexpensive (even free if you can stand the splash screen!) and it does the job of filling a hole where other software falls short. It’s a great fallback when you just need a quick fix and don’t want to bust out the full version of PhotoShop.

I’ve kept GraphicConverter around since Classic, but never actually paid for it until version 5 on Mac OS 10.0. The next paid upgrade after that was just last fall, 6 years or so later. The free version works just as well as the paid one, but you must pay to get batch processing. In the free version, the splash screen gets longer…and longer…and longer every time. One day, as I did, that delay will just hit you wrong and you’ll be buying a license code just to make it stop. Providing an indefinite evaluation time on a “lite” free version of the software is a great service to Mac users who may not need to use it all the time, thanks Lemkesoft!

GraphicConverter is my default application for most image formats on my Mac. In the paid version, it launches about 10 times faster than PhotoShop. I’m not a graphic designer, and I don’t need PhotoShop every single day for every single image I launch. GraphicConverter has just the tools, and only the tools I need to convert that TIFF someone sent me in my e-mail that took 15 minutes to download. If I need a quick crop and size, I go to GraphicConverter. I have a flatbed scanner I use to bring in media occasionally. I scan right into GraphicConverter. Just like my favorite minute-in-the-microwave snacks from college, GraphicConverter doesn’t let me down.

Some of us who remember when there was no iPhoto remember how GraphicConverter was a must on every Mac. It has the capability to make iPhoto-like catalogs and do camera imports. Most of these functions are fulfilled as part of the iLife experience in iPhoto. Many (but not all) of the editing tools in GraphicConverter are present in iPhoto, which comes on every new Mac. But a couple of glaring omissions in iPhoto’s capabilities include alpha channel support and the ability to apply text directly on an image.

GraphicConverter also can be used to create or draw original images. It is an alternative to high priced PhotoShop Elements for simple graphic design. I find that if I want to clean up an image that I plan to digitize in my proprietary software, I don’t need fancy layers or filters. GraphicConverter does it quite well.

The main niche for GraphicConverter is demonstrated in the name. The Lemkesoft website claims GraphicConverter imports about 190 file formats, and exports about 79. I didn’t know that many even existed. This is a feature that can be used to open files for which you don’t own the software in which it was designed. The files can also be converted to another format or compressed into a smaller file for e-mail.

If you’ve just made the acquaintance of GraphicConverter, you’ll find a steadfast no-nonsense application that can occasionally show up to do odd jobs around your computer. Its UI is stuck in the Classic days, but lack of fashion sense can be overlooked for the sake of utility.
It doesn’t hurt to do the free download and have GraphicConverter available to perform a few tasks on occasion. You’ll know if or when you’ll need to buy when you start cursing the 2 minute splash screen….

Support: 5 – I lost my code from 2001 and Thorsten emailed it to me within 24 hours.
Utility: 3 – I have apps that do almost all of what GraphicConverter does. GraphicConverter just does it in a more streamlined way.
Interface: 3 – An updated interface would attract new users.
Stability: 5 – No problems

GraphicConverter in its present incarnation scores a 4 with me. It’s worthy of being a default application for several file types on my Mac. I’m not quite ready for it to go the way of HyperCard and ClarisWorks.